A Tale of Tails and Plants II: Hellebore
by Zoran Prower
Summary: A craving to learn more about her hidden abilities ignites a burning desire in Tail's and Cosmo's daughter, Violet to journey to find answers. Blind and with only the knowledge of the nameless Wolf, Violet’s life has taken a new, perilous turn…
1. Prolouge

ATofTandPII: Hellebore

A Tale of Tails and Plants: Hellebore

**  
A/N: In this installment, love is put to the test, secrets are revealed, and at the very end, the name of our infamous wolf and Violet's wish upon the comet will be revealed… if they survive to hear it… The genre is mostly drama and romance, for although comedy has its moments, this is a perilous time in our heroes' lives.**

Without further ado, let the tale begin.  
  
Prologue: They meet once more

it was twilight, and the streets were silent, except for the heavy breaths of two combatants facing each other just three feet apart, the two circling each other, both ready for any tricks.

The nameless wolf had known this moment would eventually occur, as he circled his combatant, Sonic Jr. After all, his fight with the hedgehog was never completed.

"Tired yet?" The ever-confident Sonic Jr. asked him, circling the grey panting wolf.

The nameless wolf grinned at him, and then charged.

As arrogant and proud as usual, Sonic Jr. let him get close before trying to zing behind him. But the wolf's charge was a feint, he timed his twist perfectly, moving his leg out and clipping the charging hedgehog with his leg. The hedgehog fell to the ground hard on his right leg, sliding on the rocky surface, blood oozing from his shin.

The hedgehog hastily got up, aiming a punch on the wolf's head. The wolf ducked the first one, but the second came faster than he anticipated, and he cringed as he endured the hit on the side, the air being knocked out of him. Thinking he had the advantage, Sonic quickly threw two more.

Both met air. Sonic looked in front of him by surprise, then as he turned around, noticed a kick flying in his direction.

Sonic Jr. was slammed against the brick wall, but quickly moved to the right as the wolf followed with another high-flying kick. The miscalculation sent the wolf's leg into the wall, causing the wall to crumble and break.

Sonic Jr. decided to press his speed advantage full on, hurling punch after punch against the wolf. The nameless wolf, which the blue hedgehog had no idea was trained under Shadow, knew how to predict where they would come. Though he moved slower, he managed to block every single one.

Yet as the nameless wolf took the offensive against the surprised hedgehog, it was clear that he could not win this way. Sonic Jr. was too fast, and even when a hit connected, he was too stubborn; enduring the pain like a skyscraper endures an earthquake. After a time, the wolf grew exhausted, and Sonic Jr., who had never slowed down before, at last began to grow sluggish.

The hedgehog's stubbornness, however, wanted to finish the fight. Sprinting around the wolf's back, Sonic faked a punch to the wolf's left, and just as he anticipated he lifted his hand to block. Then Sonic Jr. switched hands and got ready to hit hard.

Sonic Jr. had made a miscalculation; the wolf's hand did not move to block but to attack. His fist slammed into Sonic's stomach hard, knocking the hedgehog senselessly to the ground.

In the dark alleyway, the wolf looked down at his opponent, bruised, battered, and all scratched, his blood dripping on the ground like tears. Sonic Jr. glared at him back, knowing he had been defeated. Then the wolf turned around, walking away from Sonic Jr.

"Where are you going?" Sonic Jr. asked, getting up. "I'm not finished yet!"

He charged at him with roaring speed, but the wolf didn't even look back. He simply ducked the next punch, and kicked him into the knees. As he buckled from the pain, he swung a feint to the left, and then slammed him down by banging on his back.

"This fight is over." The nameless wolf told him. "We met again as promised, and I have won. Whether you accept that or not, that is what has happened." He then turned around, as Sonic Jr. raised his hand in a vain attempt to get his attention.

Sonic Jr. watched the wolf go, too weak to rise and attempt to strike him, although his mind desperately desired revenge. Yet he knew he had to accept the fact that he got beaten.

He finally stood up a few minutes later. It was about midnight. He better get some sleep for school tomorrow, else he might get in trouble again for lack of sleep, and Cinnamon would grow suspicious.

Anger inflamed Sonic Jr. as he finally stood up, slowly limping his way toward his home. If he saw that wolf again, Sonic Jr. thought to himself, he would not let himself lose once more.

_**(Hellebore…)**_

Everything was in shades of violet. Except her dreams…

She heard lightning from somewhere. She had just exited a cavern looking not at a sun but stormy clouds. On the ground were all sorts of pretty flowers she had never seen before.

She looked at the sky. It was dark, and it reminded her of that same night in which she made that wish, as she and her father Tails looked out the telescope, scanning the stars. Oh, but the wish had yet to come true!

She looked at the sky, but then it started to turn red. Startled, she started moving backwards toward the cavern, but then she noticed a familiar looking pig stepping closer and closer. When she looked back forward, trying to run, she noticed that it grew harder and harder to see that way.

The pig behind her laughed. "Come to me, or be blinded forever!" Violet feared the pig Pitney more than anything else in the world. She did not want to be touched by that vile pig.

She ran toward the darkness, and soon she saw nothing. Her heart beat faster and faster, each beat like a hastily increasing knock on the door.

Someone grabbed her shoulders from behind her. She screamed, but something covered her mouth. She kicked behind her, and was free for a moment.

Then something grabbed her from the front. She struggled, but it was in vain…


	2. Opening

Chapter 1:

Violet awoke with a start, breathing heavily. She looked at her alarm clock, or in the direction she knew it to be in. It was too dark to really recognize anything. The little light in the room was all in hues of violet.

"Violet, time to get up!" The sweet voice of Violet's mother, Cosmo, called.

Violet sighed. Another difficult week of school was about to commence. She picked herself out of bed, yawned; stretching her hands toward the ceiling, and put her legs against the side of the bed, looking at herself from the mirror.

Of course, Violet couldn't really see herself except in the color purple, which made her sigh, as she dressed herself, having no idea which purple shade she was putting on was actually a purple color.

There was Braille in her room now, but were it not for memory, Violet still would have difficulty figuring out which door led out of her room or into her closet. She exited her room, waltzed into her bathroom, and sighed once more as she struggled to brush her teeth, and comb her hair without hurting herself, as for the violets on her head hated being combed. (She in turn, hated combing them.)

When Violet slowly moved down the stairs, she heard the clinging of spoons against a bowl, and a movement of paper. As she sat down to the table to eat the cereal and toast prepared for her, she felt the eyes of both her parents on her. She knew they were worried, but neither knew exactly the difficult of living blind. She had told neither about the shades of violet she saw them in.

She hadn't noticed herself gobbling up her breakfast like a monster when Cosmo said "Are you alright, Violet?" You seem to be in a rush.

"Oh… err, the bus leaves early on Mondays!" Violet lied. She put down her plate. "I better leave now!"

Violet grabbed her backpack, leaving a shocked Cosmo inside as she slammed the door. The green seedrian turned toward her husband, who didn't seem to register their conversation, looking at a newspaper. "Honey, do you think something's up with Violet?"

"Rough sleep, maybe." Tails offered up, still looking at the newspaper. Cosmo sighed and moved her face toward his.

"I know you're tinkering with something under the table." Cosmo warned him.

"Oh come on, honey. Can't you lift that rule?" Tails pleaded with her, putting his invention down on the ground with one of his tails.

"Tails, I'm serious. I think there's something wrong with Violet?" Cosmo told him.

Tails lowered the newspaper on the table. He looked up at his wife, sighed, got up from the table, and put his hands in hers. "It could have been a nightmare." Tails told her. "Look, she might be a bit depressed right now too, but it's not serious. Don't worry, I've been monitoring her at home, and none of her emotions are any worse than they would be under normal stressful circumstances like these."

"Are you sure, Tails?" Cosmo asked him, embracing him.

"Positive." Tails reassured her, giving a kiss. "Now, you don't want to keep your biology class waiting, do you?"

"Yes, I'd better go." Cosmo told him, giving him another kiss. As she reached for her things and made her way to the door, she gave Tails a sly wink. "But you still can't tinker with your inventions at the table during meals."

As the door shut itself behind her, the fox shrugged his shoulders. "It was worth a try." Tails told himself.

_**(Hellebore…)**_

"Hey, freak!" Some kids at a nearby lunch table were shouting at Violet, trying to get her attention. "You're looking the wrong way!" They began to laugh like drunken men holding their glasses in a bar. Violet and her friend put down their utensils as the kids insulted her, and Violet began to feel sad inside.

Cinnamon had risen from her wooden table, while Violet was trying to distinguish which violet shade was speaking. She could not see their mouths or their eyes, and as she continued looking in vain, Cinnamon stalked toward the trouble makers, grabbed one by the hairs on their neck, and raised her to eye level. "Hey, punk, want to mess with a real !##?"

"Cinnamon!" Violet said to her, finally finding the source by looking at the familiar shade of purple that showed Cinnamon. The lunch room had hushed, as other kids began to look on. Violet registered all of this, and she did not want Cinnamon to get suspended for not being able to control her anger.

The animal that had insulted Violet, a frightened snake, began to gather some resolve. "What are you going to do about it?" The snake dared her. "Kauri and Pitney will come back. It won't be long before the school's power finally comes into balance."

Cinnamon had just raised her fist at the mention of her enemies, when Violet noticed another shade of violet, this one a blue violet in a shape of a hedgehog, come racing towards the two just in time to hold Cinnamon's fist in place. "Alright, Cinnamon," The hedgehog reassured her. "Control yourself."

That was Sonic II's voice, the son of the famous hero. Several of the girls began to make sound effects at the attractive blue hedgehog, while a few sighed with disappointment. The relationship between Cinnamon and Sonic II was common gossip, but several of the girls still refused to acknowledge it. This infuriated her only more as she began to glare at the others, possessively taking Sonic II's hand with her right, while her left was still menacingly shaking.

"Control myself?" She asked him, wheeling his direction. "You're supposed to tell me to beat him up!"

"Oh, Sonic, don't you want a real girl?" That same snake asked him cunningly. "Do you really want to be stuck with a fiery-tempered rabbit as a wife?"

"Err… we just started this a week ago." Sonic informed her. "I don't think we're going to get…"

"Quiet, Sonic!" Cinnamon ordered him. Sonic did just that as Cinnamon glared darkly at the snake. "He's mine! You hear that, girls? He's mine now! And leave Violet alone, or you'll be going home to mommy and daddy bruised, you…!"

"Cinnamon!" Violet and Sonic Jr. said at the same time, all too well knowing what vulgar word was coming out of her mouth next. Before Violet or even Sonic Jr. could stop her, Cinnamon started to ram on the snake. Several other girls started to jump to the snake's side.

"Stop this!" Violet said, hardly able to stand the violence, as she tried to make her way between the fighters. One of the girls' fists slammed hard into Violet's stomach, knocking her against the wall.

The cafeteria was completely quiet. Tears began to fall down Violet's blind eyes, and then to the amazement of all, she disappeared…

…Only to reappear upon the school roof. "Not again!" Violet sobbed. The tears kept coming down her face. "Why do I have to be so different? Why does Richard have to be sick today? He could have made things better. He could have…"

She was all alone…

_**(Hellebore…)**_

Or so she thought.

Listening in was the wolf, behind one of the chimneys. He looked upon her face, entranced by her eyes for a moment, before looking away. Violet was truly beautiful to him. Those star-like eyes. The entire galaxy must worship such beauty!

He heard her sobbing over and over again. His hand reached for the silver cell phone in his pocket, as his fingers began to dial a number. He placed the phone upon his ear, waiting for a voice to respond.

"You have a reason for calling?" The voice of Shadow the hedgehog said impatiently.

"I think it is time master."

"Good. Initiate with the plan, tonight. Do not let anyone see you, not even her, until the moment strikes true."

"A shadow, I will be." The wolf replied humorously.

"You're nothing like me." The voice reminded him. "Only I can be a shadow."

"What? That didn't make any sense." The wolf replied puzzled.

"Never mind." Shadow sighed. "I need to work on my humor."

"There's a joke tip book I read recently at the…"

Shadow had hung up. The wolf sighed. "I keep telling him to be funnier for the kids… but it just doesn't seem to work."

**A/N: Someone please send Shadow a joke book by mail. Oh, and review! 2 reviews equals an update on Wednesday, else, Sunday.**


	3. Destiny Awaits

Chapter 2: Destiny Awaits

**A/N: As I struggle to get chapters of the Tails Epic done, here's another chapter for this story to pull you over.**

Violet was walking home with Marius, Cinnamon's brother, and Sonic Jr. Cinnamon was in the principal's office, with her extremely angry mother, Cream and her calm father, Zoran. "She's probably already getting into more trouble." Marius said to her.

"Why's that?" Violet asked him with a fake smile. Inside she was depressed, but she didn't want anyone to worry. Being blind was a burden she wanted to carry on her own.

"Well… when she gets in trouble with mom… well, a few days ago, she insulted her dinner… and you just don't do that to mother. Father was frustrated with her. She hasn't cooked for us for three days now."

"What do you do for dinner?" Sonic Jr. asked him.

Marius shrugged his shoulders. "Pizza, but I don't care! I love pizza! Unless mother makes it." Marius gasped and covered his mouth. "Promise you won't tell mother that! She's a great cook, she just not good at making tasty pizza!"

Violet and Sonic Jr. laughed. Marius hated saying mean stuff to anyone, especially his mother. "No worries, kido." Sonic Jr. told him. "I won't rat you out."

Marius smiled at Sonic Jr. "No wonder why Cinnamon talks about you all the time, Mister Sonic (Sonic cringed when Marius said mister. Cream had done the same to his father). You really do act like a hero."

"Really?" Sonic replied lightly.

"A lot! Sonic this, Sonic that. She's never quiet.

Sonic nodded slightly, his eyes upon his home now. "Well, I better go! Bye!" Sonic flew with the wind.

Marius and Violet watched as he zoomed home. "You think something's wrong with Sonic? He didn't really seem to respond much when I talked about Cinnamon."

Violet sighed. "Sonic's got a lot of girls on him. I think he's having a hard deciding if this is what he wants."

"Or maybe he's just… shy?"

Violet breathed sadly, her thoughts now on her own love as she looked upon her home. "I don't know Marius. I don't know."

They parted with that as Violet approached her room. She entered her room, speaking to the various flora and fauna that greeted her. Outside their home was a massive garden. Water flowed pleasantly into a small pond; fruit-bearing trees practically sprinkled the ground, a tall evergreen rising several meters above the house. Flowers grew all over the garden, in a variety of colors, surrounding the door that led to Tails lab. When she was younger, she would often chuckle to herself as she watched the mechanic and the gardener at work. Her parents were certainly an odd match.

Today, she was just too depressed to do that.

_"Freak!" _ The cry from that girl still ached in her mind. She couldn't forget. She thought it might get better with time, but it just…

Violet paused as she entered her room, noticing her window wide open. She paused, and then moved to close it. She looked around the room, surveying it fearfully. Nothing was missing.

Violet exhaled deeply as she sat on her bed, looking at the ceiling.

_"What's wrong?"_ One of her namesake violets asked her. _"You look sad."_

Tears dripped down Violet's eyes. "Nothing that can be fixed."

_**(Hellebore…)**_

The nameless wolf watched form the roof of the house Cosmo arrive home in Tails' hover car, which he had invented just months before Violet was born. He had seen her water the garden, humming happily and content with herself. The wolf knew little about Cosmo but what his master had told him. The wolf was pretty certain that twenty four years ago she never even knew such happiness.

The wolf observed Tails arrive in another hover car, kiss his wife and hug his daughter. He listened to them eating, and talking about their day. He noticed Cosmo's happiness, Tails relaxation, and Violet's hidden depression. He listened to Cosmo later speak to Violet about it, and Violet tell her nothing was wrong.

He did all of this as he patiently waited for the right time to strike. He heard Tails and Cosmo finally retire to their bedroom, their door closing shut, and Violet finally entering her room. The light in Violet's parent's room was turned off, but Violet's was left on.

The wolf did not mind. This would make his job unimaginably easier.

He waited a bit longer, waiting for the light in her room to go off, and once it did, began to count to 180 seconds. He felt the wind shift in the air, the cool night breezes touch his skin violently, but the wolf did not shiver.

At last the wolf lowered himself from the roof onto Violet's balcony, and then opened the shutters. He knew Violet was still awake and he cunningly did not enter.

As he expected, he heard Violet rise from the bed, and walk slowly toward the window. The wolf still did not move. When she finally saw him, he was in a cross legged position, looking neither at her or the sky.

"We meet again." The wolf told her. This caught Violet off guard, and she instinctively began to climb back into the window. "You don't remember? I tried to save you when you were on the bus."

Violet stopped exiting the window, and began to peer at the strange wolf. The moonlight shined on his face, revealing a scar over his golden eye on the right side. He still had not looked up.

"What is your name?" Violet asked the wolf.

"I don't know." The wolf responded instantaneously.

Violet gave the wolf a confused look. "That's an odd response, don't you think?"

"It's an honest one." The wolf replied in kind. "I did not come here, however, to ponder on the mystery of my name."

"Why are you here then?" Violet asked him.

The wolf worded his next words carefully. "I am here to see if you would like to meet someone who can teach you to control your powers."

Violet was taken aback. "How do you…"

"All will be explained in time." The wolf told her. "However, my... your teacher would like that you meet her soon." The wolf did not need to tell her that it was in his master's interests that she learns to control her abilities. "She lives deep in a forest by the Hebrides, and I'd rather time the moment I get in the forest well."

"I have to leave now? But my…"

"Do you want to learn about yourself or not?" The wolf asked her. "If you don't, you lose the only opportunity to learn about your ancestors in depth and how you acquired these abilities. You may be giving up the only chance to save your eye sight."

That got her, and the wolf almost smiled smugly at himself. He was getting good at this. He was already far better than his master at persuading people.

Violet pondered. "I just say goodbye to my parents now? And to Richard?"

The name got him. The wolf did not want to hear that name. He shrugged off the irritating thought. "You don't have time to say goodbye to anyone but your parents." Of course, there was time to say goodbye to both, but he knew that if she accidentally woke Richard up, there was no way he could leave without Richard coming along. Yet there was no way the wolf could leave unless Violet said some nonverbal goodbye to her parents.

"Go and do your silent parting, but be back quickly." The wolf told her. He watched her nod, and climb out the window, and the wolf finally looked up at the sky.

It was a dark shade of violet, and as beautiful as the violet flowers that grew in Violet's hair. The wolf sighed. It was a good thing he lied about Richard, in more ways than one.

When Violet came back, she had a serious expression on her face. "I don't know why… but I trust you."

"Good." The wolf said rather apathetically, though he was thankful. "Let's go." He watched Violet fly down from the balcony, and as she did so, the wolf silently grabbed his phone, typing a message to his master.

"He will be pleased indeed." The wolf said to himself as he descended from the balcony, ready to run into the forest.

_**(Hellebore…) **_

Hidden between the shadows of two lights, Shadow's phone lit up, having received the wolf's message. Shadow smiled triumphantly. "The wolf's cunning." He said to himself. "He looked at the sky. Come morning, I'll let the queen know she is coming…"

**A/N: Uh oh… what will Violet's friends do? Her parents? And how much trouble did Cinnamon get in?**


	4. Violet Missing Ricahrds' Return

Chapter 3:

Violet Missing Richard's Return

Cinnamon silently rode the bus to school, ignoring her brother's conversation with his friend. She hoped yesterday hadn't scared Violet from coming to school. "She never would miss school… unless… "Cinnamon began to think. No, the incident from yesterday didn't hurt her that much, did it?

It sure hurt her. Cinnamon only helped her mother stop crying through Marius's consoling, Zoran's soft words, and Cinnamon promising she wouldn't do anything like this for the rest of the year.

"Thank goodness this is the middle of September." Cinnamon thought. "I can't till January!"

As soon as she got to school, Cinnamon didn't even wait for Sonic Jr. She went straight to Biology, thinking that her mother would be there, perhaps with Violet by her side. She quickly walked to the science room, passing the Chemistry lab, when she overhead two male voices.

"Yes! I did it!"

"Dan! No, what have you done?"

"I placed some sulfide in the mixture."

"Are you trying to kill me Dan?"

Cinnamon laughed as a putrid smell came from the chemistry room, and the two boys running out. Yet when she entered the Biology room, it quickly turned to shock as she looked upon Cosmo talking earnestly to a substitute. When Cosmo noticed her, she made a movement with her hands toward the sub, said a quick excuse me, and moved hastily toward Cinnamon. "Do you know where Violet is? She's not at home!"

"I thought she would be with you." Cinnamon replied with the same degree of worry.

"Hey Mrs. Prower, Cinnamon, what's wrong?" The two women's eyes began to grow big as Cinnamon noticed her most hated arch-enemy walk toward her. Already her fists were balled up. "Is that Kauri?"

"Why you!" Cinnamon growled barely restraining herself from pouncing on her. Sonic and Cosmo glared at her too. The panther Kauri, with her sleek black fur, seemed to adore the attention, giving Sonic a suggestive glance, which softened his gaze considerably, while enraging Cinnamon even more.

"I'm a changed girl, honestly." Kauri told them pleadingly. "Don't you believe me… great hero?" She looked at Sonic as she said this with a flirtatious pose, and Sonic nodded, which made Cinnamon impossibly angrier.

"Sonic! She's evil! Pure evil!"

"Cinnamon, anyone's capable of redemption." Sonic Jr. told her. "Look at her. She looks like a sweet innocent girl." The way Sonic looked at Kauri, with her purposely attracting his attention, infuriated Cinnamon completely now.

"I've had it with you!" Cinnamon glared at him. "What, do you even care about me? Am I any better than those other girls? I don't want this anymore!" Cinnamon began to sob, but once again, Sonic Jr. stopped her from being foolish.

"They're breaking up!" Some girls nearby began to cheer.

"Quiet!" Cosmo told them all, and they hushed. She glared at Kauri. "If you've done anything with my daughter…"

"What, you're going to hit me?" Kauri asked, toying with shock. "But if you did, you'd lose your job, Mrs. Prower! You wouldn't want that, would you?"

An evil grin began to make her way up her face as Kauri turned away, walking away satisfied.

"Ooh!" Cinnamon grunted at her.

"What's going on?" A raccoon asked, an arctic fox standing next to her. "Where's Violet?" The fox asked in turn.

"Sarah, Richard, Violet's missing." Cosmo told them. "Have you seen her today at all?"

Richard, shocked, shook his head. "We have to find her!"

"No, stay at school, children. Miles and I can handle this."

"But…"

"Please, stay at school. I don't want parents getting on my case."

Then Cosmo left them standing in the hallway, and the four were quiet, Cinnamon glaring at Sonic and Kauri's allies that were silently cheering. The ring of the bell broke the silence.

Sonic Jr. began to move toward the exit. "Where are you going mister? I'm not done with you!"

"I'm going to find Violet." Sonic Jr. told her. "My father won't care about me, and he'll ail mother's worries. "And you're not coming. You just broke up with me."

"No I didn't! I'm just fed up with you and…"

"Well, for the sake of the two of us, let's just go back to the way things were before we dated."

Cinnamon looked at him flabbergasted. "Sonic… I…" She lost her voice, turned away, and moved several steps away from the others.

"We wouldn't have married anyway. I'm not the one for you. Just… go to class." Cinnamon started sobbing, and ran away from the three. Sonic and the other two watched her part silently. The tardy bell began to ring. It wasn't the best ending… but Sonic didn't know what else to say anyway.

"Hey." Richard grabbed Sonic's shoulder, interrupting the silence. "If you're looking for Violet, I'm coming too." Sonic nodded.

"And me." Sarah said. "I owe her so much, please let me go! If you don't, I'll tell all your parents!"

Sonic laughed, not really afraid, but understanding her plea. "Alright, Sarah. You can come."

The three walked out the door, turning around when they noticed Cinnamon running after them, tears trolling down her eyes. "Please, you need me too!" The heartbroken Cinnamon demanded.

Richard and Sarah turned to Sonic Jr. "I think you're an idiot." Richard told him. "For breaking her heart and breaking it at the wrong time."

"Thanks." Sonic Jr. replied sarcastically. "But this is my business."

"Come on, Sonic." Sarah told him. "She'll follow us anyway."

Sonic sighed. "Alright. Come along Cinnamon." Cinnamon trudged after them, keeping her distance from the three.

(A few meters away)

Kauri the Panther watched from the window. "Well, I can't try to woo Sonic Jr. today…"

"You got over Henri pretty fast…" A voice commented.

"Oh, Henri's still a good snack. But I want something… richer…"

The voice snickered. "So we're going to follow them then? They are after something even richer than Sonic."

Kauri laughed. "Yes, I am curious on their plan. Does Sonic even know where he is going… Pitney?"

The pig rose from the shadows as he and Kauri exited the building, beginning to follow his trail. "We shall see…"

(Near the Hebrides' Sea)

A fox with a single tail and a golden crown sat on a throne in the golden painted room. Two guards stood near the doors, their hands lying near their sword belts, ready to draw them at a second's notice. An aging expression was on her face, a heavy feeling in her heart. She sighed, looking at her advisor. "This war isn't going well, is it?"

"Perhaps not." Her advisor admitted. "But you must keep praying, my lady." He smiled at her. "One of your refugees is doing a great job keeping the children happy with his stories. "

"That odd robot?" The queen asked. "Yes, he seems immune to the depression. Or perhaps he knows how take it better." She smiled gravely. "This is a selfish thought, but I am glad that he got stuck here."

"Oho, I don't think he's trapped at all my lady." The advisor commented. "I think he's chosen to be here."

A hologram began to flicker in the central of the room, and the advisor and the queen jumped as a figure of a black hedgehog emerged.

"Queen Selina," The hedgehog began with a bow.

"Yes, Shadow, you may speak." Queen Selina replied. The holo image of Shadow smiled respectfully.

"Your cousin's daughter, Violet is coming to learn what you can teach her about… her abilities." Shadow informed her.

Queen Selina smiled, but then frowned. "I did want her to come and see me, but this is kind of a bad time. Our gates are blocked by the enemy."

Shadow grimaced. "My apprentice is bringing her to you, and I have no way of contacting him. Is there no possible alternative? A secret entrance? A way to buy time?"

Queen Selina pondered for a moment. "My queen, may I speak?" Her advisor asked.

"Always, Sir Roland."

The fox coughed. "Do you remember your other two recent refugees?"

"I have a lot of refugees, unfortunately, Sir Ronald. Which two do you speak of?"

"The two that got in here through the underwater cave, my lady."

"Ah! Those two… Yes. Guards, summon that four-tailed fox and that rabbit."

A few moments later, and the guards ushered in a bluish silver four tailed mizo no kitsune (sea fox), with eyes the hue of a sea, and a cotton tail rabbit with very light orange brownish fur and hazel eyes. The rabbit beamed at the queen happily, holding the fox's hand as they bowed gracefully. "Your grace?"

"First, I apologize for keeping you here the way I have. As you can see, this war is keeping me cautious."

"Oh, its okay, my queen." The rabbit replied pleasantly.

The queen smiled charmingly. "I need you two to act as scouts. You know the way through the cave, correct?" The two nodded. "You are looking for my cousin's daughter. She has completely unusual eyes and plants on her head, and perhaps a traveling companion or friend. Bring them here, but be careful out there. You've seen the enemy forces and what they're capable of. I don't want you two to get hurt."

The fox stood up straight, holding the rabbit's hand tightly. "You can count on us!" Queen Selina then motioned for the guards to usher them out. She then turned to Shadow, who had a content look on his face. "There. Your apprentice and Violet will make it here fine. I will report back to you when they have arrived."

Shadow nodded. "Thank you, my queen."

The hologram turned off, and the queen sighed as a knight rushed in. "My queen, our spy has reported back."

"Send him in." The queen told the knight. "It's about time this day grows gloomy."

**A/N: Not as good, but I thought I really should update. Next update: Tuesday.**


	5. Revelations

Chapter 4: Revelations

**A/N: Tuesday, as I promised, I updated! Thank you to my reviewers, Charles T. Servant and White Keyblade Oathkeeper. Please, I would like more reviews from the rest of you, too, particularly suggestions on how to make this story better! (Thank you Charles, for you comment. I shall heed it.)**

Sonic Jr. really wished he hadn't ended perhaps one of his favorite relationships he ever had. As he led the group, he would occasionally sneak a glance back at Cinnamon, with perhaps a tinge of regret and sorrow, his eyes longing to look into hers, his lips desiring to quench their thirst.

But his brain dismissed his heart's complaints as illogical and purely emotional. He was a lone runner, and Cinnamon could never keep up. There was too many choices, many better than Cinnamon's angry attitude. There was some perfect girl out there for him, so why waste his time on a bond he knew wouldn't end well.

Thinking about it… would any of them?

"Hey, where are you leading us? Sarah asked anxiously, snapping Sonic out of his thoughts.

He turned to her with a half-smile. "You'll see."

Sonic then stopped in front of a building. "Um… why are we stopping?" Sarah asked, shivering fearfully as she looked upon the sign 'Borg's Saloon'. A male just walked out of the bar, singing, drunk, giving her a funny look before hitting a light post. His head bumped the steel, and he started yelling angrily at it.

"We need to go in here." Sonic told her. Richard looked at him, surprised. Sonic sighed, before he began to explain. "Trust me; we'll get the information on where the wolf is heading here."

"You don't have to go in," Richard commented to Sarah quietly. "It might be better if you stay out here."

"Okay, I'll stay out here," She said, as the other three began to enter. She then noticed the drunk male approaching her. "Hey, little raco," The male (a zebra, if you were curious) began, hiccupping. "Want to dance?"  
"Hey, wait for me guys!" Sarah called after them. Disappointed, the male zebra returned to the light post. "You want to dance?" He asked the inanimate object.

Inside the saloon was a distasteful atmosphere for the four teens. There was smoke coming from pipes and cigars, intense kissing, fighting, drinking, and in one corner, gambling. Sarah almost went out the door again, until Cinnamon whispered something in her ear that soothed her a bit.

Sonic Jr. approached a male lion cleaning dirty glasses with a filthy cloth. He sighed as he noticed the blue hedgehog approaching him. "So, the son of the famous hedgehog returns again. Didn't you get what you came for last time?"

"You were here BEFORE?" Cinnamon asked him angrily, speaking to him at long last.

"Not now, Cinnamon." Sonic Jr. pleaded with her. "Look, I'll explain it to you later."

"Someone's upset." The lion said, looking at Cinnamon. Some of her anger began to turn into shame, and she looked down on the ground. The lion turned back to Sonic. "Look, you know the drill. Money for information. Money for the "good stuff." Money for the "open bank." Doesn't matter what you want, you got to pay. I suspect you're here for information, right?"

"Here," Sonic replied, handing the lion some cash. "Now, tell me where the wolf's gone. You didn't say he was going to kidnap Violet."

"WHAT?" Cinnamon asked him, again irritating Sonic. "You know who kidnapped her?"

"Quiet, Cinnamon!" Sonic said angrily. "Just shut up and let me talk."

"No! Not until you give some answers."

"Geez." The lion interrupted them, rolling his eyes. "Look, if you're going to fight, I do prefer outside. Unless you want to entertain our guests, but no offense, it would be bad for your father's reputation if his son was caught fighting in a bar."

Sonic breathed and cooled down. "I'll explain everything later, Cinnamon. Just ease up and let me handle things."

Cinnamon glared at him before turning away. Sonic then turned back to the Lion. "So what do you know?"

"Well… I'll admit that I didn't tell you about the kidnapping because the wolf bribed me. After your fight, he came here to make sure I shushed about it. Yet you know, so I guess I can talk." The lion put down his dirty cloth and mug, and thought for a moment.

"You know the Hebrides Sea? Beautiful body of water, but kills most of the people that go across it. Anyway, there's a kingdom inside. Bunch of Vulpesune, or single-tailed, and Kitsune, the multi-tailed foxes live inside. They've been gone for many years, but they returned some decades ago. There's supposedly a kingdom they have, ruled by a queen. It's deep into the forest by the Hebrides' sea that they live in. If you traveled to the coast of the Hebrides, then went towards the forest, you'd be on track."

"Then where do I go?" Sonic Jr. asked him.

The lion shook his head. "I don't know."

"What? Give me some of my cash back, that's no help!"

"Better than nothing." The lion pointed out. "There aren't any refunds anyway. Now get out, hedgehog. You're spoiling my day."

Sonic Jr. sighed and walked out of the bar, the other three falling in step behind him.

After they exited the bar, Cinnamon angrily ran in front of Sonic Jr. "You didn't tell us any of this, Sonic!" She said to him angrily. "If you had told…"

"Cinnamon, stop it!" Sonic Jr. retorted. "Look…"

"I'd like to know what you haven't been telling us, too." Richard defended Cinnamon. "None of us know who the wolf is. Can you at least tell us why he would kidnap Violet, or something?"

Sonic looked at Richard helplessly. Richard was a lot angrier at him than he was letting on, Sonic knew he cared about Violet deeply and would kill him if something bad happened to her. Yet after that incident on the bus, after she had lost her eyesight… Richard, of all them, seemed to believe her stronger, not weaker. "I know very little." Sonic Jr. answered honestly. "He's the same wolf that we met earlier; we were there when Kauri and her friends just ambushed the bus. I know he has an interest in Violet, but nothing else. I don't eve know his name."

"What kind of 'interest'." Richard asked in a dangerous tone.

Sonic shrugged his shoulders. "I doubt it's what you fear, Richard, but I honestly can't say."

Richard looked on the ground helplessly. There was that old emotion. Sonic knew he felt weak and a burden to others at times, but Sonic couldn't really relate it. It must be really hard for Richard.

It was quiet for a moment, until Sarah interrupted them. "PLEASE, can we keep going? I want to get as far away from this place as possible!"

Sonic smiled at her. "Yes. Let's go!"

He was running now at a comfortable pace, and the other three followed suit, just about sprinting after the fast hedgehog.

(Elsewhere…)

"Where are we?" Violet asked the wolf. They were surrounded by tall, lively trees. She could hear the distant sound of the waves brushing sand.

"We're near water." The wolf informed her. "It will be a few more hours before we're near our destination."

They had not yet rested since they had left, and Violet was exhausted. "Can… can we rest now? Please? I'm exhausted."

The wolf sighed. "If you must, but it will be short. We must get close before dark."

Violet laid down near a tree. She noticed the wolf, looking toward the beach sand. She could not help but gaze at the scar that came across his eye. His face was almost beautiful, a piece of art work, with a tinge of a fault, a hardship that she could not understand.

"Can… Can I ask you a question?" She said to him nervously.

"Just one." The wolf replied indifferently.

"Why don't you know your name?"

"I have either forgotten it, or I was never told it. More likely the latter."

"Have you tried to remember?"

"I said you could ask me one question." The wolf reminded her.

"But…"

"No, that is enough." The wolf told her, his eyes turning back to her. She couldn't read his emotions. There was almost apathy on his face, an emotionless mask. He gazed at the sun for a moment, before looking toward the ocean again, sighing. "I have tried." He admitted. "To no avail."

"Maybe you'll know one day." Violet comforted him optimistically.

The wolf gazed upon her. _"You are beautiful, girl, yet far too hopeful…" _His thought came into her mind, and she almost recoiled out of fear. The wolf gazed at her oddly at her reaction, before looking away, back toward the sea. "I doubt that. Even if I did found out… would I believe it?"

Violet then noticed the wolf walk a bit away from her, lying next to the tree. He still looked at the tree, and as Violet's eyes closed, drowsiness overcoming her, his eyes never stopped looking that direction.


	6. Meeting the Escorts

Meeting the Escorts

**A/N: A chapter with quality. I prize this one, so please review and comment!**

When they finally neared the large, body of water, traveling only about 400 meters away from the cool salty sea, Violet could not help but make an excited cry. "Oh, that just looks beautiful!" She cried out. "Can we get closer?"

"No, that is the Hebrides Sea, the most dangerous…" But Violet had already run toward the water. As she approached it, she remembered a moment when she was treating Richard's bruises and swelling as they stood next to that tranquil lake. The thought froze her heart for a second, slowing her steps to a halt. She missed Richard so much, his tender touch, his hands holding hers, her arms wrapped around his…

As Violet thought of her love, the wolf managed to catch up to her, grabbing her hand to pull her away from the water. "Come on, Prower. These waters are dangerous to sail, let alone swim. It's too risky for you to…"

Suddenly, literally out of the blue, the waves dangerously began to rise. "Dang!" The wolf cried. "Come on, we've got to…" He paused, gaping at the monstrous water.

The water had risen to nearly four hundred feet now. The wolf ran anyway, dragging Violet along with him. Suddenly, Violet pushed him away, and the wolf looked at her surprised, only to see her tails spinning, rapidly, rising from the ground. She grabbed the wolf, and began to fly up.

The water was crashing toward the shore, and Violet tried to fly away from the water as well as to fly above it. It was a race of time, and Violet feared she wouldn't make it, spinning her tails as fast as possible. "Come on!" She growled at herself.

The water then slammed just under her feet, and as Violet turned around, she noticed a silvery blue, fox-like creature over the waves, in complete control of himself. When the creature caught sight of them, the waves suddenly lessened, lowering him down to the ground. Tired, Violet let her tails spin slowly, falling lightly to the ground, lowering the wolf to the ground.

The blue, fox-like creature waved with an apologetic look on his face toward the group. The wolf, irritated at the whole business, walked up to the creature, and punched it right in the face.

"Ouch! I'm sorry, please, don't harm me, mister!" The creature cried. The wolf raised his hand for a second blow, but Violet stopped him, catching his fist before he could launch it.

"Let him explain himself." The wolf looked into Violet's galactic like eyes, entranced for a moment. They were so beautiful… like gazing upon the planets at night, the stars, ever so-bright…

He slowly forced his gaze away, now gazing at the intruding creature coldly.

"Alright. What are you doing here, fox?" The nameless wolf asked in a rough tone.

"I'm a sea fox/wolf, actually." The creature informed him, voice shaking fearfully at the towering wolf "Name's Tsunami. I've been surfing the waters… looking for that Half-Seedrian you travel with."

"Why?" The wolf demanded, causing the fox to shake even more.

"It's my queen… Queen Selina. She wants to see her!" Tsunami finished, his breathing growing harder as the wolf finally stopped advancing, the mention of the queen's name having relaxed him.

"So, the queen sent you to find us, eh? Can you take us there?"

The fox/wolf nodded his head. "Of course, I can! Although, we can't go through the gates, the kingdom's being attacked."

"Attacked?" Violet asked, concerned. She was curious about this sea fox/wolf. For some odd reason, he seemed familiar…

The fox/wolf nodded. "Yes, my beloved and I are the only ones who know how to get into the camp without going through the gates. You may not like it, though…"

"Oh, it can't be that bad…" The wolf replied. "Tell us."

(Elsewhere…)

The gang had traveled far that day. Due to worried Richard's begging, Sonic literally sped the whole group up, linking hands together as they flew through the trees. Poor Sarah, in the back, just barely missed a tree. Her cries of protest eventually led the group to solo movement.

"Oh, thank goodness! Never do I desire to move so fast again!" The raccoon cried.

"We need to find Violet quickly!" Richard reminded her. "She could be in grave danger."

"Well, don't you care about eating and not puking?" She asked him.

"If you were in love, you might understand." Richard told her. At this moment Sonic Jr. and Cinnamon glanced at each other simultaneously, before averting their eyes the other way.

"Well, I'm not, so thank goodness. What creature could love me anyway?"

Richard looked at her with a twinkle in his eye. "You'll feel loves pull someday, Sarah, and yours will be the strongest of all."

"You really think so?" Sarah asked him.

"Hey," Sonic Jr. interrupted them. "Let's rest here for a bit. I'm going to go scout out a bit." Without any pause, Sonic Jr. put down his things, and began walking ahead. Richard and Sarah shrugged their shoulders, and continued to converse.

"Why… that hedgehog!" Cinnamon fumed. She began to put her hand on her ears, barely containing her anger. "Who made him leader?"

Sarah and Richard stopped talking, watching her face turn into a snarl. "You're a big complainer for a tough rabbit," Sarah noticed. She instantly regretted it as the enraged rabbit grabbed her by the neck. "Er… I meant that you're a really tough, beautiful gal, Cinnamon! All the boys love you!"

"No, they don't…" Cinnamon mumbled quietly, relaxing her hold on the raccoon, and gently lowering her to the ground. "Only he did…" Sarah looked at Cinnamon, shocked to see her anger completely transform to sadness, a tear falling down her eye. It curved around her face, gently going down her neck, then dropping onto the ground, like a drop of red blood.

She turned to Richard. "Richard's right, Sarah. You're going to make a great lover some day. And Violet's perfect for Richard. But me… I'm not like all the other girls that want Sonic Jr… I'm worse. I can't do anything to get him back now…"

"Well, maybe you're not trying very hard…" Sarah started to comment, as Cinnamon grabbed her by the neck again, her sadness instantly transforming to anger. "Wow! Cinnamon, your mood swings are going to kill me!"

"Hey… I hear something…" Richard told the other two. The two turned to Richard, trying to figure out what his eyes were looking at.

"Where?" Sarah asked. "I don't hear anything…"

"The bushes… Look, someone's hiding in them!"

The three both slowly began to move toward the rustling leaves of a bush, lying in between a log and a stump. When they stood right in front of the plant, they heard a shriek, and the three noticed a rabbit with very light-brownish fur jump out of the bushes in great alarm, her large hazel eyes widening as she looked upon the three. She was wearing a dark violet dress, with black hiking boots that went up to just a little above her ankles.

"Hey! It's a cute furry rabbit!" Sarah cried, reaching her hand out to the girl. "How are you?"

"You're… you're friendly?" The rabbit asked, surprised. "Well… teehee! I thought you were a soldier or something!"

"What's going on?" Sonic Jr. asked, appearing from amongst the trees. "Whoa, who's this nice looking girl with that cute dress?"

"I'm going to strangle his neck…" Cinnamon muttered to herself.

"Thank you, mister." The rabbit said politely. "I am Olivia, the most beautiful rabbit in the world!"

"I don't doubt that." Sonic replied, an amazed look on his face. Cinnamon's fist were clenched tightly now.

"I'm Sarah." The raccoon introduced herself. "I'm just your typical raccoon. Can't cook, so I take what I can find."

"Tell me about it." Richard teased. "You practically steal my lunch almost every day!" He then turned to the rabbit." The two smiled at each other, before Richard turned his attention back to the rabbit. "The name's Richard and it's a pleasure to meet you."

As Sonic strutted toward the rabbit, hand outstretched, Cinnamon practically pushed him out of the way, looking fiercely upon the girl. "The name's Cinnamon, but unfortunately we don't have time to stay and chit-chat. We've got a friend to find!" Sonic rubbed his shoulder, a slightly annoyed expression on his face as he looked at the two of them talking.

"Oh… so you're looking for a friend of yours, hmm?" Olivia asked. "Maybe they're a refugee, teehee! What's their name?"

"Her name's Violet, but she's only just left our hometown recently." Cinnamon told her.

"Ooh… Violet." Olivia giggled at herself. "I'm supposed to be looking for a Violet and some wolf and bring them to the camp!"

"What?" Richard asked her, shocked.

"Or, I was, anyway." Olivia continued. "My lovey-dovey Tsunami just ringed me to say that he's bringing them to the camp right now."

"Well, we really need to see her!" Richard earnestly told her. "Can you take us there?"

"Well, I wasn't supposed to bring anyone else back…"

"Please?" Richard pleaded with her. "We really need to find her! I don't trust that wolf!"

"That makes two of us." Sonic commented, standing up. Cinnamon kicked him down. "Oh, cut it out! You're just jealous that you're ugly compared to this rabbit!"

"Take that back!" Cinnamon growled, practically grabbing him by the neck.

"Oh!" Olivia cried, worriedly. "Please, don't hurt each other!" Yet the two started pounding on each other anyway.

"Don't worry, Olivia." Sarah reassured her. "They just don't function well as friends."

"But they sure made an interesting couple while it lasted." Richard commented,, as he watched the two fight. "Ouch!" He cried, watching Sonic cringe from a blow between the legs, while Cinnamon walked away with a satisfied look on her face. "That's going to leave a mark."

Olivia was disturbed by the sight, but she still let out a small smile. "Alright, are you guys done now? I must warn you, until the siege on the city ends, you cannot leave once I bring you there."

"Siege?" Sarah asked curiously, as Cinnamon and Sonic Jr. were still glaring upon each other as if they were about to go at it again. "There's an invasion occurring?"

Olivia nodded solemnly. "We should hurry back. Ooh… I'd hated to run into soldiers without Tsunami around."

Olivia began to skip through the forest, stopping at a hole in the ground, hidden between two trees and several bushes. The four stopped behind her, confused. "Climb down this hole." She directed them. "It leads to an underground sea cave."

"Sea cave?" Sonic Jr. asked worriedly. "As in, water?"

"What do you think, bonehead?" Cinnamon retorted.

"Oh, don't worry, the water's just foot length deep at the point we're going down at."

"Does it get deeper?" Sonic Jr. asked, fearfully.

"Er… a little, but don't worry! You only have to be underwater for a few seconds before you can resurface for air. There's only one spot that's completely underwater, and it's a really short time you'll go through it."

"Why don't you climb down first… fearless leader?" Cinnamon taunted him. Sonic Jr. put a foot down, preparing to climb down slowly. He gulped, and then sat down, preparing to descend carefully.

"Well… here go- wha?!" Sonic Jr. shouted out in surprise as Cinnamon cruelly pushed him down the hole. The hedgehog fell into the depths screaming like a girl.

"Ooh, you are so mean!" Olivia cried.

"You would too, if someone broke your heart." Cinnamon snapped at the girl. Richard jumped down into the hole after him, and after a sigh, Cinnamon climbed down as well.

Olivia looked at Sarah, before she too, began to climb down. "The hedgehog broke her heart?" She asked, bewildered.

Sarah nodded solemnly. "Yep. Now they're back to normal now. Just a bit more violent. Okay, they're a lot more violent, but, it happens, right?"

Sarah descended into the depths. Olivia looked up at the sky, thinking of her dear Tsunami. _"He'll never break my heart."_ She said to herself, absolutely certain. Then with a small smile, she jumped into the hole after them.


	7. As for the Parents

As for the Parents…

"There!" Tails cried, wiping the sweat from his forehead with his handkerchief as he stood back from his machine. "Now we can find them!"

Sonic and company were in Tails lab, examining his computer interface as Tails showed them the completed machine. It didn't look much to Sonic, just a bunch of wires and nails, but Tails assured him this thing would find their children. "Err… how does it work?" Sonic asked him. Beside him, Knuckles moved a hand In to examine the object, but Tails quickly slapped it away.

"No, no, Knuckles! With your hands you could rip the wires!" Tails then turned to Sonic with a tired expression, still smiling nonetheless. "I turn it on, and then the computer has integrated the DNA of both your son and my daughter. When I turn the computer and the machine on, it will show land up to ten thousand miles east, west, north, or south of here. Then, it will target their exact latitude and longitude, and the time it will take us to get there."

"You mean by Sonic speed?" Sonic asked him.

"I err… averaged all our speeds, so it's significantly slower." Tails admitted. Sonic shook his head in sadness. "But don't worry, Sonic! You can run a little ahead of us!"

"Well, will you turn this piece of junk on already?" Knuckles said impatiently. "I need my star athlete to come back, you know."

"Alright. Systems to go… now!"

Tails clicked a button, and a green grid flashed on the screen. Soon, the general land mass of Mobius followed, and soon enough, a single red dot appeared on the map, with the label "Violet" next to it. A few second later, a second red dot labeled Sonic Jr. appeared, not too far from the first one.

The three gazed at the screen with confusion. "That's strange…" Tails spoke quietly.

"Eh? What's up, Tails?" Sonic inquired.

"Well… according to the map… Violet's practically in water… in the Hebrides Sea!

Tails began to grow very anxious, and then practically ran out of the lab. "Come on! We've got to leave, now!"

Sonic and Knuckles followed, opening up the grate that led to the underground lab. When the tree climbed up, they saw Amy, Cream, Zoran, and Cosmo, looking down at them with curiosity. "Well, did it work?" Cream asked earnestly. "Did you find out where Cinnamon and the kids were?" Her voice was very high pitched, her hands squeezing Tails' shoulder, begging for an answer.

"Hey, give him some space." Zoran told her, pulling her back a bit into his arms. He then nodded for him to continue as Cream looked at the three anxiously.

"Cinnamon, Sonic Jr. and Violet aren't too far apart." Tails informed him. "The problem is… well, Violet's practically in the Hebrides. I don't know why, but I do know that ocean has the spilled blood of millions in it in the past… it almost had her blood almost six years ago…"

Cosmo gasped, and Amy put a reassuring arm around her. "Great! So let's go and get her then!"

"It's not that simple." Tails reminded them. "Someone's got to stay and watch the dots." He knew he couldn't stay. Violet was at most a day away as it is. Even at top speed, he feared he may not make it in time.

"We'll do it." Zoran nominated himself and Cream. "I know Sonic is dying for adventure, and you can't trust Knuckles with any machinery."

"Hey!" Knuckles snapped back at him. "You want a knuckle sandwhich?"

As Knuckles raised his fists, Sonic just pushed him to the ground, laughing as Knuckles angrily got back up. The sight of Amy raising her hammer caused all three men to forget their argument.

"Thanks Amy." Tails told her. He then sighed. "Alright, the rest of us will split up. Cosmo and I will search for Violet, while the three of you can search for Cinnamon and the others. I have an advanced compass for each of us," He raised two compasses as he said this, which had a digital interface on them, and looked very much like a watch. "This will allow us to change course as necessary as Cream and Zoran update us on their location, thus…"

"Enough mechanics, Tails." Sonic interrupted impatiently, more so to avoid the technical jargon that was bound to come out of his mouth. "Let's get moving!" The blue hedgehog grabbed the compass from Tails hand, and began racing away from them. Amy and Knuckles charged after him, calling his name uselessly.

"Ooh, Zoran, I really wanted to go to Cinnamon and see if she was okay." Cream told her husband. "Next time, can you not speak for the both of us?"

"Cinnamon's fine on her own, Cream." Zoran reassured her. "Heh, fighting in school isn't bad for nothing."

"Well… hey!" Cream retorted. "Stop teaching Cinnamon that fighting is a good thing!"

"It isn't?" Zoran asked slyly. The couple began bickering as they went down the grate back into Tails lab.

Tails and Cosmo looked at each other as Tails snapped the watch to his arm. Cosmo's hand gently moved against his face, a worried expression on her face as she examined his tired expression. "Tails… I know Violet's going to be…"

"Not now, Cosmo." Tails told her, running toward his garage, hitting a button on his side. The garage ceiling began to open up, and a loud noise of an engine rang through the lot. "I'm not assessing anything till I see her." He began to spin his tails rapidly, grabbing Cosmo's hand as he gradually flew toward the plane that was slowly ascending up from his garage.

_"He hasn't slept for almost a day now…" _ Cosmo thought to herself. _"Whatever reason you left, Violet… I hope it was a good one…"_

(Elsewhere)

"Can't you swim any faster?" The sea-fox wolf Tsunami asked impatiently. "I've never seen such creatures swim so slowly?"

Violet bubbled some type of answer, but it was muffled by the sea. Neither could swim very long underwater and constantly had to resurface. Tsunami rolled his eyes every time they did this.

Violet could almost place this fox… he looked familiar somehow… but she just couldn't place it.

Tsunami then signaled for them both to resurface with a signal from his thumb, and the two panting creatures gratefully did so, hardly having any idea where they were going. They resurfaced with a gasp, huffing and puffing from exhaustion, while Tsunami looked very relaxed indeed.

"What is this?" The nameless wolf growled. "If this is a trick, I will choke you to death and send you to the deepest depths of the ocean."

"No, no, in fact, we are above the sea cave now!" Tsunami told them shakily as the wolf's angry frown came too close for comfort in his line of sight. I told you to resurface because I doubt either one of you could get through without having to take a breath."

"So this is a waste of time?" The wolf growled. "Then I should kill you!"

"Wait, wait, let me explain!" Tsunami begged him as the nameless wolf lunged for his neck.

"Hey, I recognize you now!" Violet exclaimed, as the wolf stopped trying to strangle the fearful Tsunami. "You're the one that saved me when I fell off the ship! You carried me on your back towards the shoreline!"

"Well… hmm. Yes, I do remember." Tsunami replied. "You've grown a lot since."

"This isn't going to stop me from ending your life." The wolf growled.

"No, let him explain!" Violet pleaded.

The wolf sighed, glaring at the fox, who shrank away a bit. "Very well, if it is to your desire."

Tsunami gulped, and then rapidly began to speak. "Alright, all we do is dive under the water; swim through the cave entrance, and to resurface once we find a place to in the cave."

"That's it?" The wolf asked disbelievingly.

"It would be that simple if it was just me, but carrying the both of you is going to make it hard. I have to swim fast enough for your air capacity and to get away from that monstrous shark that swims round the entrance."

"Is there no other way?" Violet asked him. She really did not enjoy swimming much.

Tsunami shook his head, and reached out his hands for them to grab. "Don't worry. I'll get you there in one piece. Are you ready?"

Violet grabbed his hand. "You saved me once in the past. I trust you." The two smiled at each other.

The wolf hesitated. "I don't like trusting my life with another…"

Tsunami looked at him and shrugged. "It's the only way, wolf. Besides, I would sooner die than be the murderer of you two."

The wolf glared at him for a moment, and then sighed. "Alright…" The wolf reached out his hand.

"Breathe deeply… in 1…2…3!" The wolf and Violet gasped for a huge breath of air, and were quickly pulled into the depths by the massive fox.

He swam with the utmost grace and speed, farther and farther down… Violet feared she'd let out all her hair just from the amazement of it. She nearly did, as she saw the huge water shark, twelve feet long, staring up at them with a hunger in its eyes as it slowly sped toward them.

"Hang on!" Tsunami shouted behind him. The shark's gaping jaws opened wide, getting ready to chew all three of them up for a good meal.


	8. The Sea Caves

**The Sea Caves**

**A/N: Updates for this story are going to occur quicker and quicker. Still, I'll update my other stories this weekend, if you are curious.**

**Of course, review this one, please. I need constructive feedback.**

Violet's heart nearly skipped a beat as the shark moved forward dangerously quickly, nearly taking in a gulp of water. She and the wolf cringed as their lungs began to slowly lose air. If only she had done more breathing contests when she was younger.

"Come on…" Tsunami urged himself as the shark just barely missed the wolf's tail with its mighty jaws.

"_It's unfortunate that I can't yell at him right now._" Violet heard the wolf's thoughts in her head.

"_Fifteen more seconds and I can resurface. Just fifteen…_" Tsunami's thoughts occurred.

"_Prey… prey… prey…_" The shark's thoughts were the most horrifying of all to her.

She felt consciousness slowly slipping, her eyes noticing the shark's jaws inches away from her head, and snap…

Only to swallow water, the group breaking through the surface as Violet and the wolf gasped for air, hands clutching to the ground. Tsunami panted, fatigued, looking down at the shark, who was still thinking _"Prey… prey… prey…"_

"Careful next time, Prower." The wolf warned her, looking away from the water. "Panic like that next time and you might kill yourself, or the shark might taste the fear in your pretty eyes."

"I wouldn't have let that happen." Tsunami piped up.

The wolf shot him a harsh glare. "That shark bit some of my tail fur off, thanks to you." Violet looked at the wolf, noticing a good patch of fur itched off in the shape of shark's mouth.

Tsunami shrugged his shoulders innocently. "At least you're alive. It could have been…"

"Enough talk." The wolf sighed. "Just get us to the Queen."

"There's a ladder over there." Tsunami told him, pointing to a brown ladder connected to the dark cave rock, illuminated by a single torch. "It gets darker as you climb up, so…"

"No worries." The wolf hushed him, making his way toward the ladder impatiently.

"What's his problem?" Tsunami asked Violet.

"I don't think he likes water much." Violet whispered to him.

Climbing through the darkness, Violet steadily worked her way up the long ladder, in between the wolf and Tsunami. Violet tried to withhold a groan as her feet began to feel sore, the wooden board of the ladder's steps emitting a quiet, chilling creak.

"How much longer is this going to take?" The wolf growled at Tsunami impatiently. "I've trusted you for this long, and I dare not trust you much longer."

"A few more minutes." Tsunami informed him calmly. "Just hang with me."

The wolf mumbled something under his breath, but continued climbing anyway.

It was a few more minutes before they perceived a bright light and the wolf eagerly began to ascend hastily, wanting to get to his destination and out of this current location. Violet sighed, fatigued and ready to get out of the tunnel.

The crawl was long, but finally, Violet emerged free, as the three found themselves in a small shed room with a window. "Well, are you going to open the door?" The wolf asked, as Tsunami looked outside.

"Yes, just thought I heard something." Tsunami told him, as he opened the door.

Violet found herself looking at a huge, beautiful city, with foxes pulling wheelbarrows, conversing, walking on the streets, talking to guards. Most were red, but there were foxes of other colors as well. None, of course, had three tails, and none had galactic eyes either.

"Hey, that is a restricted door!" A guard yelled, while another followed closely behind him, sword out in hand. "What are you? Oh, it's you."

"Yes, it's me Captain." Tsunami informed him. The man nodded, and then glanced at the wolf and Violet with surprise.

"Well, mind my manners, but what the heck is this? You didn't tell us she had three tails!"

Violet shyly moved a few steps back, but the captain stopped her. "Oh, I didn't mean it as insulting at all, ma'am. But three… that's a rarity. That's really special."

"Um… Tsunami has four." Violet pointed out.

"All sea foxes have four tails." Tsunami informed her. "It helps us underwater. But your type of foxes are different. Your number of tails symbolizes power. They didn't know that until recently however, and it is unfortunate for the fates of some."

The captain was still gawking at her, making Violet uncomfortable. "Oh, yes, I shouldn't stare all day. Please, follow me to Queen Selina."

The walk through the town didn't get any more comfortable for Violet. Everywhere, foxes would stop what they were doing, muttering to one another, pointing at her. She appealed to Tsunami for help, but he only shrugged his shoulders. "The queen sent me to guide you here." Tsunami reminded her. "I guess you are really important at the moment."

They were at the gate now, and the group stopped at a buzzing sound. Tsunami grabbed the beeping object, a phone and gave a signal to the others. "Go on, it's Olivia." Violet gave him an anxious look, but the fox shook her head. "You'll be fine, Violet."

"Come, Violet." The wolf asked her, grabbing her hand. "She has been waiting some time."

Tsunami watched Violet be dragged off, and sighed as he answered his phone. "Hey, did you need something?"

"Oh, yes love. Um… I took the route back… but the cave caved in! So, we're stuck, that's all."

"Stuck? Hang in there! I'll be there in—"

"Relax, Tsunami. I can handle this."

"Are you sure?" Tsunami asked her anxiously.

"I'm sure, trust me! I got this."

"I hope you're right." The fox muttered. "You better be back here soon."

"I will. Don't worry, my love, I'll see you soon."

Tsunami sighed as the call ended. "I guess I better make sure Violet isn't fainting from her fear."

(Hellebore)

"Oh, I hope I know what I'm doing…" Olivia told herself, as she looked at the rocks blocking their entrance. Cinnamon, Sarah, Richard, and Sonic Jr. stared at the wall anxiously.

"Well, we should just start moving the rocks out of the way." Sarah advised her. Olivia looked at her and smiled.

"Of course. I'm just worried about how long this will take." Olivia informed her. "I hate to be separated for long from my dear."

"You're worried?" Cinnamon snarled, glaring at Sonic Jr. "This is the last place that I want to be stuck with, especially with him around!"

"You elected to come!" Sonic Jr. retorted. "You could have just stayed behind him."

"Violet's more my friend than yours! You could have stayed behind!"

"Well, if I hadn't come, you wouldn't even know where to begin! You're useless without me!" Sonic and Cinnamon were really close now, and Olivia was already covering her eyes, fearing a fight.

"This isn't good." Richard told Sarah.

"Useless? Useless!" Cinnamon snarled. She glared at him harshly, then with a loud cry, slammed her fist into the rock, cracking it into little pieces. The others looked at her in amazement. She then turned around, giving Sonic a triumphant look. "You might be fast, Jr. but you'd have no muscle power without me!"

"Oh yeah?" The hedgehog challenged. He then spun his arm around extremely fast, as the others gasped at his amazing speed, and then launched it through a boulder, causing it to crumble and break apart.

"Grrr." Cinnamon snarled, before she started sending more punches at the boulders.

"You won't do better than me!" Sonic Jr. retorted, launching fists at the rocks.

The three watched with surprise and relief. "I think they've lost it." Richard commented.

"At least they're not hurting each other." Cinnamon said with relief.

"And they're breaking the stones apart." Sarah exclaimed.

What may have taken hours was instantly reduced to a few minutes as the two clobbered through the rock pile. When there were no rocks left, the two glared at each other, panting with fatigue. "I'm… still… better than you." Cinnamon growled.

"Ha. Look… who's… out of breath." Sonic replied smartly.

"Shut up guys." Richard said seriously, as Olivia pointed at a ladder they need to climb up. I'd like to see Violet."

"We have to climb that?" Sonic Jr. and Cinnamon said, exhausted.

"It's a long, harsh climb, but we should be able to get up there without resting."

The two groaned.

(Hellebore)

Violet followed the wolf and the captain into the castle, made of beautiful white marble, and carefully patrolled and guarded by guards. "Security is tight." The captiain informed him, as he showed his and the wolf's idea to an inspector. "But trust me, you won't need anything special for your identity."

"I still don't understand." Violet told the captain. "Why am I so special here?"

The captain laughed. "There have been no other three-tailed foxes at all… save one. She is still alive, too."

"Really? What's her name?"

The captain was silent for a moment. "No one knows. No one has dared to ask, not even the queen." He turned to the wolf. "Imagine, if she has forgotten her name after all this time."

"Having no name is not as bad as it feels, captain." The wolf growled at him. "Cut the chatter and take us to the throne room already."

"Yes, of course." The captain replied, guiding them towards the Queen with a bit more speed.

The captain stopped in front of the throne room doors. "The queen awaits you in here."

Violet gulped, as the wolf looked at the captain walking away. "The fool." He growled. He then turned to Violet. "Come on."

Violet found herself facing several guards lined up in a line to the throne, all foxes, who snapped their heads her direction when she entered. On the chair was a somewhat familiar fox, her fur purple a velvet red, although to Violet's eyes, they were the same purple as the rest of the foxes, albeit a bit darker.

"At last!" The fox cried. "She arrives!"

**A/N: Next chapter already complete, so expect an update on Saturday or Sunday.**


	9. Queen Selina

Chapter 8: Queen Selina

"I see Shadow's trust in you was quite worth it." The fox queen commented, a warm, charming smile on her face. The queen walked up to the wolf and shook his hand, and then turned to Violet. "You remember me, don't you Violet?"

"You're… you're Queen Selina!" Violet told her. "You helped us once!"

"Indeed." The Queen told her. She then looked at her eyes. "They are still as beautiful as ever."

"Yes… but… they don't work anymore." Violet admitted. "At least, I can only see things in shades of violet."

"Really?" The queen asked, studying her eyes. "That is interesting, although I offer you my apologies on your condition."

Violet thought about the other kids, teasing her about her sightlessness, but shook it off. "As you know, our kingdom is in danger, I'm afraid. In the past, it was some rivaling fox clan, or some other animal group hungering for power." The queen paused for a moment. "But let me not trouble you with my troubles. You came here to learn, did you not?"

Violet was quiet for a moment before she answered shyly. "Are you going to be my instructor?"

The queen shook her head. "I'm afraid not. From what Shadow has told me of you, you have amazing abilities. None of us, not even Tails could ever accomplish such feats as you will do."

"But why me?" Violet asked her. "Why is such power in me?"

"I cannot answer that question." The queen told her. "But let me show you your instructor." She gave a signal to one of her guards, who bowed and walked out of the room. "Let me warn you, Violet that your instructor is not like the rest of us."

A silence entered as the guards noticed another presence entering the room, and all were quick to avert their glances. The escorting guard was shivering fearfully, with plenty of space away from the fox she was escorting. Violet did not follow the lead of the other guards, but decided to glance at her herself.

As soon as she glanced at the female fox, and her fierce eyes filled with suffering, her heart was struck with a terrible anguish that made her eyes watery. Her grey fur showed that she could be a young fox, but her eyes were ancient, and her face contorted with pain. She had three tails, one as grey as fog, one as black as darkness, and one as white as light. Violet, however, only saw her eyes, and they were still enough to still pierce her good heart with dolorous emotions.

"Violet, meet your instructor. Seer, meet your student."

_"You do not have to call me Seer. Your grandfather called me the cursed one, your father the wise vixen. It grows irritating to switch names every generation."_

"I… I just thought it was befitting and respectful." The queen explained, not daring to look into her eyes either.

"_Hmph."_ The Seer sniffed, not really listening. The vixen stared at Violet for a long time, as Violet's blind eyes quickly trailed to the ground as she stared_. "I did not see this child as an infant. She is not even completely a fox. What is her last name?"_

"Prower, madam."

_"Prower?"_ The Seer looked at her_. "She isn't your daughter. What's her father's name?"_

"Miles, Miles Prower."

_"Eh?"_ The Seer's ears perked up. _"Now his future I did divine, but never would I have seen this! The two-tailed fox with a three-tailed daughter… and only half-fox "_ The Seer examined her more, looking into her galactic eyes. _"But she's blind. You didn't tell me she was blind."_

"Violet?" The queen asked. Violet looked sadly at her as she explained to her the situation with her eyes.

"I… I received a serious brain injury from a weapon." Violet began sadly. "I'm lucky to be here." The queen looked at her sadly, and Violet quickly added, "But I can still see in shades of violet."

_"Really?"_ The Seer asked, intrigued. _"Three Tails, is blind and can still see, and has eyes I haven't seen on anyone but…"_

"But who, Seer?" The queen asked, excitedly.

The Seer said nothing for a moment. Then she looked at her and Violet, with a terrible pained expression on her face, contorted with not only grief… but something far greater… "I shall not share that." She spoke, her voice instantly penetrating into everyone's hearts, as guards faces contorted with anguish and pity.

The queen nodded politely, trying to resist the emotions inside her. "Violet, perhaps you should leave, and settle into your room. Seer, can you tell her where Violet can meet you?"

_"In my hut, at sunrise." _The Seer told her. _"But since I have yet to divine your fate, I would like you to come at darkest twilight tonight. Yours of all fates I shall prize." _The vixen gave her a hauntingly beautiful smile, and then walked out of the throne room. Several guards breathed with a sigh of relief as she exited.

"Her hut isn't far from where you are sleeping. You can see it from your balcony actually. You won't miss it." The queen informed her.

Violet nodded uneasily, as she bowed politely to the queen. _"Do not worry so soon, child." _Violet heard the queen's thoughts in her head unintentionally again, "_You have yet to see the worst she can wrought upon you."_

**A/N: Short, but on the other hand, next chapter is twice as long. Please review!**


	10. Troubles Ahead

**Troubles Ahead**

**A/N: As before, this chapter is twice as long, with the next chapter even lengthier. In this chapter, Violet is reunited with her friends, but not all goes smooth in the reunion…**

"Finally!" Sonic cried, as his hand reached the top of the ladder. As he lifted himself up however, Sarah and Richard were careful to keep an eye on Cinnamon, who they both knew would most likely eagerly push Sonic all the way down the first moment they looked away.

Olivia looked downcast as the four caught her breath. "I'm sorry about that. You're probably all impatient to see your friend, and I've held you up."

Before Sonic Jr. could apologize (most likely in a manner that would anger Cinnamon) a guard interrupted them. "Hey, who's there?" A guard shouted.

"It's me Captain!" Olivia cried out to the guard.

"Alright then, but who's that with you? You're not supposed to bring anyone else in the city. They haven't manipulated you, have they?"

"They're friends of Violet." Olivia assured him.

"How can we be sure?" The guard questioned her. "They could have lied to you."

"Hey, chill guard." Sonic Jr. said to him, holding out a hand. "I'm Sonic Jr. son of the most famous hedgehog in the world! We're not here to hurt you."

"You… you said Sonic?" The guard said. "Ah, you're a spitting image of him!" The guard eagerly shook the hedgehog's hand as Sonic Jr. beamed at him. Cinnamon just rolled her eyes.

"You're all okay to me, but you better check in with the Queen of course. She wants to see all refugees personally."

"No." Richard said suddenly. Everyone turned to look at him. "Let us see if she's okay. I can't wait any longer."

The guard gave him a look, but then turned to Olivia, who nodded in agreement. "Come on Richard, its only a few more…"

"Years. It feels like years." Richard said quietly. Sonic and Cinnamon gave each other a glance, understanding what he felt. Then, realizing what they were doing, they quickly turned away form each other, ashamed.

The guard sighed, and then gestured to the group to follow her. As they followed her in step, Cinnamon harshly whispered to Sonic. "Too bad he doesn't know how big of an idiot you are."

"I'm sure he'll just listen to any nobody like you." Sonic Jr. retorted smugly, leaving Cinnamon fuming as he continued walking.

***

The wolf lead Violet to her room quietly, as Violet scanned the village. Everyone's eyes as she passed them was on her, but none of the thoughts that she heard were negative, but in awe.

_"It's a three-tailed!"_

"_She looks like the Seer."_

_"Those eyes… they are so beautiful…"_

Violet blushed under that comment, turning to notice a fox male's eyes scanning over her with curiosity and wonder.

"Is it enjoyable to read people's minds?" The wolf asked suddenly, as they reached her temporary home.

"Not really…" Violet replied shyly. She examined her home. A flight of stairs led to her room, the room below a storage room for logs. This must have once been a home a rich woodsman, Violet realized.

"Ah, I suppose there are some bad moments." The wolf admitted. "But you have to admit, many people think you are very beautiful."

Violet blushed again, shaking her head. "You mustn't say things like that."

The wolf shrugged his shoulders, leading her to her door. "But it is true, is it not?"

Violet turned to look into the wolf's eyes, a lustful look, but her blind eyes didn't catch it. The wolf snickered to himself, and suddenly, seemed to go rigid.

"Is… is something wrong?" Violet asked him.

The wolf suddenly smiled, then shook his head. "No… not at all. I just noticed something in your eye."

Violet felt uneasy as the wolf looked into them carefully, his face pressed too close to hers for comfort. Then suddenly, he came all the way, his lips taking hers by surprise.

Her whole body felt rigid, completely caught off guard for a moment. Then she quickly pulled herself away, staring at the wolf fearfully, noticing a pleased smile on his face. She then turned down to look below the stair case, and saw a sight that she longed and dreaded to see.

Richard.

The white arctic fox had a look of great anger and betrayal on his face, directed both towards the wolf and her, trying to stop himself from running up the stairs and lunging at him. "Richard…" Violet called out to him.

But the angry fox turned away, walked away. "Richard!" Violet cried, running down the stairs.

Sonic Jr. grabbed her by the shoulders, and the three-tailed fox punched him hard in the face, causing blood to spill from his lips. The hedgehog recoiled but did not let go as Sarah grabbed her fist.

"Let me go!" The half-seedrian fox demanded.

"How could you do that to him?" Sonic Jr. asked her. "Especially with… that wolf!"

"That wolf kissed me, not the other way around." Violet growled, punching him again, causing him to recoil and Sarah to let go. She turned to snarl at the wolf… but he was gone. Why would he kiss her all of a sudden? It couldn't have been just lust…

He had known Richard was there.

"Let go of me!" She snarled for the last time, whirling to punch Sarah this time. Caught straight in the face, the raccoon fell back on the ground, knocked out. Sonic Jr. tried to restrain her, but caught nothing.

She had teleported.

Violet appeared right in front of Richard, but the angry fox just pushed her out of the way. "Richard!" She called desperately, turning him around. At last, the fox stopped, and then slowly turned to face her.

"I searched for you! You didn't even say goodbye!" Richard yelled at her. "And then, I see you with him, the two of you all over each other!"

"We weren't…" Violet tried to began, tears sliding down her blind eyes, but Richard was too angry to let her speak.

" How do I know you weren't always like this?" Richard said. "How do I know you even care!"

"Richard…" Violet tried to began, but Richard fumed on.

"You're just like my sister, you know that? So ignorant of others sometimes. Just leave me alone, will you?"

"Richard…" Violet tried yet again, but the fox had walked off. The half-seedrian fox sat on a nearby tree stump and covered her eyes with her hands. All bad luck. She didn't want to kiss the wolf, she didn't want to lose Richard. She should have saw his sinister plan, should have seen it!

She felt a hand on her shoulder, knew it was Cinnamon standing next to her. She kept spilling tears for a while, but then finally looked up at Cinnamon. The rabbit gave her a solemn look that said "that's life."

"Hurts, doesn't it?" The rabbit asked her. She nodded her head. The rabbit laughed softly.

"You'll be together again." She said confidently. "Richard will grow to understand what really occurred."

"So you believe me…?" Violet asked her. The rabbit nodded.

"That's why I didn't help Sarah and Sonic. Violet… you're not a three-tailed two timer."

Violet had a small smile on her face, and wiped her tears. "I think the other two will get it too." Cinnamon said. "Although I worry that Sonic's going to go after the wolf. Those two are rough fighters…"

Violet looked up at her, and she saw something not usually in Cinnamon's face. Concern. Usually she was only concerned when a punch missed someone, never over someone's safety.

"You think you and Sonic will…" Violet started.

"No." Cinnamon said flatly. "But hey, don't go after Richard right now, will you? Let him be alone for a while. He'll come looking for you."

Violet smiled, but then when she saw her friend's face, she frowned. It was contorted with pain, but none of it was physical pain.

"There she is!" Sarah pointed out. Cinnamon groaned as she saw Sonic almost instantaneously appear beside them with Sarah.

"If you're here to do any reprimanding, I'm going to kick your $%*!" Cinnamon growled. Violet didn't even bother to remind her to mind her language.

Sonic ignored her, but looked at Violet with concern. A bit at unease with all the treatment, Violet stood up from the tree stump. "I… I think I'm going to get some sleep."

"Oh… alright then." Sarah said. "Can I walk with you?"

"No… I'd rather walk by myself." Violet said.

The three watched as she turned her back. The warm air began warming her skin, and Violet looked up at the sky, and saw that there was very little sun left. "Richard…" she whispered to herself…

"I'm sorry for not saying goodbye"


	11. Divination

**Divination**

**A/N: Lengthy, but filled with good-stuff.**

Violet woke up at precisely five till midnight, dressed herself, and walked to the Seer's hut. The cool night air breeze caused the vixen/seedrian to shiver as she began to descend the stairs, her blind eyes on what they made out as a purple hut. (It really was grey).

As she finally landed at the bottom of the stairs, her feet on the grass, she felt a tremor in her spine as she glanced at the hut. The flap was open, but it seemed…. uninviting, frightening underneath night's shadow.

Keeping her mind off earlier events, with Richard's betrayed look haunting her dreams as she slept, she slowly tip-toed to the hut. She couldn't think of him now. It hurt too much for her.

She stopped at the foot of the hut, afraid. She had not forgotten what the Seer said. She was going to divine into her future.

It took the chill of the wind to convince Violet that there was no use standing out there all day. She entered the tent, and breathed a sigh of relief upon entry.

Inside, there was only a single lamp lit, the walls dark, the light illuminating the face of the ancient Seer, her face showing no signs of wrinkles, although the moan she let out showed that she was still haunted by her past. "_You are late, Blind Who Can Still See. The present is short, so very short."_

"I am sorry, Seer." Violet apologized.

The Seer shook her head._ "Never mind. I have all the time in the world." _The Seer's face contorted with pain for a moment, and Violet began to wonder what circumstance led the vixen to her fate.

"Seer…" Violet began to ask, but the Seer's penetrating thoughts interrupted her.

_"Are you ready?" _The Seer asked her. _"I have looked forward to divining your future."_

Violet hesitated for a moment, not exactly eager to learn what was stored in the fates for her, but then she nodded her head.

_"Good." _The Seer stated. _"Take my hand child." _

Violet slowly reached to grasp the Seer's hand. The Seer's other hand loomed over her heart slowly… and Violet wondered what she was thinking, when it suddenly lightly tapped into her chest, and Violet's vision completely clouded.

Then it reappeared, but in a completely different place. She was in a dark place… a hall that echoed with the taps of her feet. A hall that seemed so familiar… although the vixen was sure she had never been here before. She felt the violet flowers on her head shiver, and she placed her hand on them.

The hall was dark. Nothing was lit. Violet knew this wasn't real… but was it?

_"This is the present." _The Seer told her._ "Behind us… the past. Forward… the future. If you look backward, you will see recent events…" _The Seer trailed off, andViolet gasped as images came flowing into her head, one quickly replacing the other, first of Pitney, laughing, then Cinnamon and Sonic Jr. snapping at each other, her mother dotting on her, her father's famous smile, of Richard's shy smile, of the wolf's mysterious look, of betrayal, of love, of pain, of…

The Seer's hand spun her around, and the images stopped. _"If you think that is overwhelming now, Blind Who Can Still See, think of a thousand years of it." _Violet fell silent, looking away as the Seer's piercing gaze._ "Now, out of the mist… I will pull images of the future." _Violet gazed at the future now as the Seer's hand was pressed firmly against her shoulder.

The Seer closed her eyes, and Violet gasped as an image appeared out of the mist.

Stars… Plants… the solar system. Everything… nothing was moving. Flashing. It seemed errie… out of place… Then suddenly, everything rotated extremely fast… and then planets reversed their spin, at an unusually quick rate…

The image dissipated, and Violet looked at the Seer for help, but she ignored her, concentrating on the hallway.

She quickly recognized the next image… it was Richard, laying in her arms on the ground, blood being soaked everywhere. They were on a mountain, bodies everywhere… Violet watched in horror as his eyelids slowly closed…

The image dissipated, and Violet took a step back in the hall, but the Seer quickly grabbed her. _"There is still more, child." _The vixen told her._ "You must see it all to understand."_

What was there to understand? Violet thought, as tears began to stream down her eyes like rain. Richard was going to die.

A whole new image appeared… but it was just a symbol. The word Sentinel appeared on the background of a hedgehog, a rabbit, two canine-like animals… and one that was obviously a Half-Seedrian. Was one Richard? Maybe he didn't die…

The image disappeared quickly, being replaced by one Violet didn't understand at all. Star-shaped eyes appeared… her star-eyes, staring fiercely back at her.

But they weren't hers… there was something odd behind them. Those weren't her eyes…

The hall disappeared, and they were back in the room.

Violet looked at the Seer, who was gasping for air, her face completely filled with the expression of pain, although she made no sounds. She then slowly turned to gaze at the half-seedrian, who had many questions on her mind.

_"I… could not see very far ahead." _The cursed-vixen revealed to her, surprised. _"I have seen little in those whose destiny is theirs to make, as in your father's divination… but to see only a few years ahead is unusual. The future, it seems, is yours to control."_

"What do you mean?" The fox asked, confused.

The seer groaned, the sound waves causing Violet to grimace as gloomy emotion grappled her heart, like a hand swiping against a glass, the other just catching it before it broke.

"_Child, that first image I divined… did you notice the planets?"_

"Well… they were spinning." Violet admitted to her.

_"Yes, but they were spinning forwards and backwards, revolving around the sun one way, and then the other at different intervals of speed. Nothing can cause that, and there is only one reason such an image was seen in your future."_

The cursed-vixen smiled an excitedly. "You have the ability to control time. You can stop it, speed it up, slow down, and bring yourself or other objects forward in time, backward in time." The vixen scrutinized the fox. "I wonder… has anything odd happened to you before?"

"I can read minds." The half-seedrian admitted. "I can speak to plants, but so can mother. Yet… I can _teleport."_

_"You can control objects as well?" The Seer asked her. "Don't answer that, I know you can. But no, you do not truly teleport, my child, although no word describes it well, but slow down time to such a large degree, and speed yourself up, that you run instantaneously to your desired location. You can probably move objects as well, and read minds."_

_"_I can't teleport?" Violet asked, bewildered. "But I've wound up on top of roofs before!"

The Seer shrugged her shoulders. "Time and speed are connected in strange ways. Perhaps someone who moves very fast can probably tell you how that occurred. I cannot. I have been surrounded by foxes so long that I can't answer that."

"Do you know what else I can do from your divination?" Violet eagerly asked.

_"Nothing, I am certain."_ The Seer told her. Violet looked down, disappointed and then the Seer added "_But your natural abilities, talents, and those inherited from your mother, They, combined with these others, will make you a great… or terrible, being."_

Something about those words bothered Violet. Yet she put them in the back of her mind for now as she asked her next question. "What about those other images?" She asked, fearful most of the one with her and Richard.

_"I don't know."_ The wise vixen told her. _"I do not know, and I am tired. You must leave me be child._

"But…"

"I am tired, child." The cursed-vixen said out load, the anger and sadness of a thousand years tremoring into Violet's heart like an earthquake. "Leave me."

Violet's feet did not hesitate any more. They turned her around, and walked her to her room.

When she stepped out of the tent, she knelt on the ground, trying to put everything together that had happened so far. She had left home with the wolf, wound up back in her aunt's kingdom, lost her first love, and now discovered so many abilities about herself.

It was a lot to take in, Violet knew, as a tear went down her eye.

She really wished she had said goodbye to her family.

**(Hellebore)**

The wolf quietly watched her retreat to her room, fatigued, drained, and exhausted. He thought to go to her, and give in to his lust once more, but the loom of what the wise-vixen could tell him was right there.

Quietly he slipped through the flaps, but he before he could hide in the tent's darkness, a voice said. _"You have come, as expected."_

She was not even facing him, looking on the other side of the tent, dreamily. The wolf growled. Seers. No assassin would ever dare slay one of them. Even Shadow had some fear of her, and for good reason.

She knew everything. Even the things they didn't want people to know, or had forgotten.

She wasn't alone however. An odd little winged figure, hidden in the shadows, peered at him. Wait… peered at him?

"It seems the one who wanted to surprise you is the one surprised now." The robot commented, cackling at the irony.

The wolf readied himself, unclear of the Seer's intentions. "_Do you not want to know your name?" _The Seer asked him calmly.

The wolf stopped coldly in his tracks, fear running inside him as if the Seer had spoke rather than thought it. "I know my name." The wolf said. "I never use it."

"One without a name cannot have fun in the game of life!" The robot cackled. The wolf looked at him, about to retort, as the cursed-wise vixen's thoughts entered his head.

_"He is right… and humorous, as always." The Seer said. "He is XT-421, a matchmaker, although I have failed to make him understand that love is destined. There is no reason to push it along and disrupt time."_

_"_I disagree completely." The robot argued surprising the wolf in the fact that he heard the Seer. Or perhaps the Seer's thoughts were to the robot as well. "Love needs the aid of will to really be strong."

The Seer said nothing to the robot, but gave him a friendly smile, as if the debate would be settled later. _"So would you like to know your name? This robot here, he knows your name. I know it. But you do not."_

The wolf's leg began to shiver. His name…

_Everything around him was burning, in flames, soldiers pushing against houses, grabbing women and children. Women screamed, like a terribly shrill of the bird falling from the sky. But then they became silent, permanently silent…_

_The wolf turned his head, trying to look up at his mother, who clutched onto him tightly."It's alright… It's alright…" She soothed him, pressing him close against him, in a tight, defensive embrace. The guns fired, as the woman grabbed the fox's hand, trying to seek shelter in a place where everything was rapidly decaying like dead insects._

_ "It's Balthazar's army!" A voice cried. An explosion occurred, shaking the complex. Another blast hit, and the wolf felt the world spin around him, struggling to breath amongst the fires. He heard a trumpet call, vaguely remembered something clutching his chest…_

No… she had said it's alright something, not just alright, the wolf thought, as he slowly brought himself out of the memory, the image of fire still burning heatedly in his head.

He did not know his name. He did not know his name.

And as he looked up at the Seer, who still did not look at him, but waited for his answer patiently, he knew he did not want to hear it from her lips. He began to slowly back away, preparing to run.

_"I know you intend to manipulate her." _The Seer suddenly stated, causing the wolf to turn around. "_Your master has long desired vengeance, a vengeance you share as well, but do not realize. The Queen is oblivious, too, that the threat is so near, that this whole siege on her kingdom was avoidable and set-up."_

The wolf looked at her in shock, but only for a moment. She was the Seer, after all.

"_He is manipulating you as well. You, with no course, no goal in life, with no family, friends. How easy you must be for him to control."_

_"_He is my master." The wolf simply stated.

"_And you serve him blindly." _The wolf glared at her angrily, but the Seer was unmoved. "_What will you do with your life, when he needs you no more? I warn you, one day, you will be against one another. One day, you will be the death of Shadow the Hedgehog."_

The Seer's haunting smile made him step back, and the wolf quickly exited the tent.

The Seer and the robot exchanged knowing looks, and then the Seer shook his head. "Perhaps I should have told him that love was to be found in a raccoon, if he stops lusting after the Prower and finds himself."

"That can easily be done." XT-421 boasted.

"Hmph. If you interfere with his future, I may stop you myself." The Seer's words did not affect the robot. He had seen too much destruction and heartbreak himself to be affected by it.

"And what about your own love? Will you tell Violet about the eyes?"

The Seer seemed glazed over, the sharp pain going over her. She knew however, that the robot would only wait for an answer. She looked at him, her glare harsh and cold with a thousand years of one who has never fixed her heart. "Never, if I had my way… but she must know. But I will not be ready when she asks."


	12. Trials and Rivals

**Trials and Rivals**

**A/N: Thanks to Charles, Keyblade, and Twilitbeing for reviews. Rock on! (Yes, love does cloud judgement, Twilit… and you will see even a more foolish example later in the story) Answers to some questions…**

**Q: What's in store in the next chapters of ATTP 2?**

**A: You'll have to read, of course. However, two of Violet's divinations take place during this story, and the other two in the sequels to come.**

**Q: What happened to Kauri and Pitney?**

**A: Those scullions? I haven't forgotten them. They have a tiny role in this story, but is giant in contrast in the coming sequel.**

**Q: What about the romances?**

**A: Well, Sonic Jr. is a fool. As for Richard, Violet, and the wolf, we shall see…**

_"I am coming for you next…"_

_Violet saw the horrible image of at three-armed man, each hand wielding a sword as he laughed at the pathetic image of Richard bleeding slowly to death. Richard… _

_The arctic fox then looked up at her, struggling to breathe. "Violet…"_

_"Richard…" Violet tried to reach out for him, but Richard grabbed her hand before it could reach his face._

_"I will laugh when he kills you next." Richard said coldly. Violet screamed as she saw the three-armed man spin his blades…_

**(Hellebore)**

A loud boom jerked Violet awake, as she woke up to see the cursed-wise Vixen looking at her angrily. _"I SAID SUNRISE!"_ The vixen boomed into her mind.

"I'm… I'm really sorry, Seer." Violet told her. "I didn't realize sunrise came so early." The fox glanced at her alarm clock, which would not ring for another hour.

The Seer shook her head angrily. "You've got a long day ahead of you…"

**(Hellebore…)**

Violet was in the Seer's hut, sitting on the carpet with her eyes closed, as the Seer watched her carefully. at her. "Focus… focuses intently. Do not blink, and do not lose concentration."

It was very hard not to lose concentration to the nostalgic, sad voice of the Seer, whose voice drenched her with grieving emotions. Violet was frustrated; she hadn't even got to see her friends yet.

Violet cringed her teeth together. The days were growing much colder, and the hut hardly protected from the chill. The trees must be lowering the sap down to their roots now, she thought.

The trees…

Violet quickly refocused, picturing the trees strongly in her mind, thinking of the emotions they brought here. The Seer began to snap her fingers, testing her concentration. "Good… now you must…"

"Err…" Violet began, losing her focus. "Can't you not speak."

"If I project my thoughts to you, child, you won't be able to focus at all." The Seer sighed. "Never mind, I won't say anything. Just focus and do as I instructed you."

Violet focused on the trees intently. So cold… so sad… so…

She then found herself outside the hut. Violet smiled to herself, looking at the trees. She had teleported herself, and it wasn't an accident!

_"Good indeed, child. Notice that you have lost energy. Remember this moment, memorize your position perfectly, your emotion, and that smile that just appeared on your face. Memorize every intricate detail, as for the next thing you are about to learn is going to be very difficult. When you are ready, return to the hut."_

Violet sighed, knowing that she would have meditate hard on this.

She stood there for about two minutes, the time ticking towards noon now. When she was sure she had all the details memorized, she entered the hut again.

_"Show me the moment in your head."_ The Seer told her. Violet flashed the memory in her head, but she could not read the Seer's reaction.

_"A fair job. Work on memorizing the scenery more, but hopefully, this will do."_

"What are you going to teach me how to do?"

"I am going to teach you how to go backwards."

"Backwards?"

"Yes… backwards… in time."

Violet smiled eagerly, despite the torrent of emotions the voice of the Seer was giving her. but the Seer quickly snapped at her. _"Focus!" _She thought to her, thankfully.

Violet meditated, tapping into her emotions, the single source the Seer had told her about. Love, she had said earlier, would work best.

"But… Richard and I aren't together anymore… or at least I think." Violet had stated moments ago.

"It doesn't matter. The pain, the love, mix it all together, let it fuel you, and you will have your power you need to fuel your abilities."

She focused, gathering her guilt, her anger, her sadness, and her love. It fueled her, giving her determination, as she pictured herself in the scene…

She then found herself outside. She felt suddenly much more exhausted, and balked when she looked at the time. Noon? It felt like midnight again.

"_Good indeed, child. Notice that you have lost energy. Remember this moment, memorize your position perfectly, your emotion, and that smile that just appeared on your face. Memorize every intricate detail, as for the next thing you are about to learn is going to be very difficult. When you are ready, return to the hut."_

"You just said that two minutes ago." Violet said loudly, so the vixen could hear her.

"_So you managed it? Now you must be exhausted. I warn you against traveling any farther back than two minutes; you will most likely collapse from exhaustion, as for you are not experienced enough. Forget the moment you memorized, it shall not help you._

Violet quickly ran into the hut, not liking to yell much. She then looked at the vixen eagerly. "Can I travel forward in time too?"

The Seer shook her head. _"No, not with your ability. Your ability permanently alters time, not temporarily. But it also exhausts you, and even with the strongest determination and experience, you could not travel back further than a week, I reckon."_

The Seer examined Violet, who was leaning against the wall, trying not to rest. "_You are too tired to continue training. This concludes our session. But remember, during battle, you will find it much easier to conjure up emotion. Concentrate to control your powers and you can move at will. You can read minds unconsciously, but your other two abilities of moving non-living objects and time-control require much emotion, and to move within time, much concentration. Remember this, and it will save your life."_

She began turning around, a smile on her face. "_You have done better than I thought you would on this day, child." _She then sat on her chair, waiting for Violet to depart. But Violet had something on her mind, not quite ready to leave yet.

"Seer," Violet began shyly. "Earlier… well you talked about seeing someone with eyes like mine before. Can… can you tell me about them?"

Now it was the Seer that looked at the ground, thinking for a long time. Violet stood by the hut's door patiently, although she was very curious. "Seer?"

The vixen finally looked up, the same pain and anguish that was on her face when the queen asked her the same question. "You want to know?" The vixen spoke, pierced her heart, but the anguish was worse somehow, paining Violet in a way she was not ready for. The Seer moaned, her sad melodic moan, making a tear slide down Violet's eyes.

"Forgive me," The Seer began, still speaking. "I… it will be easier if I speak to you directly about this, rather than through thoughts."

Violet did not ask why, just listened and tried to fight the pity enveloping in her heart. Once again, the Seer was silent, and she felt frightened all of a sudden in the dark hut.

"You… Violet, have eyes that no other female fox has ever had. But… there was one male. Just one."

"What was his name?" Violet asked.

She replied with a terrible moan that had Violet reaching for her ears trying to block out the terrible nostalgic sound. Violet vaguely noticed tears sliding down the Seer's face.

"I… I can never say his name without feeling such terrible pain…" The Seer told her. "It was a great and terrible act I choose to do, irreversible. It is why I am cursed."

"Can you tell me?"

Mountains of emotions seemed to sweep over the kitsune, as tears started to roll down her cheeks like raindrops, slowly, but then gradually accelerating to the wrath of a rainstorm. "No… No… I can't." The Kit's look was enough to freeze Violet's heart, and she rose from her seat, backing away from the fox.

"No… just leave me be, child. This curse… you have no idea…"

Violet quickly exited the hut, relieved to be free of the fox's emotional aura but terribly guilty at the pain she had scrounged out of her.

**(Hellebore)**

"Why don't we just go back?" Pitney groaned, as he and Kauri paced the sandy beaches near the Hellebore Ocean, their eyes looking at the footprints that lead right into the ocean. The windy breeze caused Kauri to cross her arms around herself, to make herself feel warm.

"Go back?" Kauri asked him incredulously. "It's your fault we're stuck here anyway, lost. I told you not to fall asleep, Sonic and his group were moving out!"

"I'm tired, panther, geez!" The pig growled, stuffing his mouth with some cake.

"Hmm. Well, you seem to have a lot of energy when you go venturing into those bordellos at night." Kauri snapped at him angrily.

"Hey, I…"

"Sh!" Kauri cut him off. "You hear that?"

The pig and the panther listened, and then quickly dove into the bushes as a plane zoomed through the air, and a wind seemed to blow in the area. On the beach sand, a hedgehog appeared, as he motioned for the plane to land.

"Isn't that the legendary…"

"Quiet! I can't hear them!" Kauri growled. She then watched as an orange fox, a pink hedgehog, green seedrian, and red echidna all exited the plane, moving toward the blue hedgehog's position.

"Their tracks stop near the water's edge." The blue hedgehog said. "They don't lead back."

"Are you sure Sonic?" Tails asked fearfully. "That's the Hebrides…"

The hedgehog nodded. "Strange. They go towards water, and our other children go underground…"

The red echidna slammed his fist into a rock, bored. "Come on Tails, let's keep searching! Where does the sonar pick up now?"

Tails read his thing, but shook his head. "This isn't right at all…"

"What's wrong Tails?" Cosmo asked him.

"The sonar… they're all sorts of red dots on it! Someone's throwing off the sensor, even though it's set to find our children."

"Well, what do we do now?" Amy cried, worried.

Tails thought for a moment as everyone looked at him. "We try plan B. Knuckles, you try digging underground where Cinnamon's and the other footsteps stopped, and the rest of us will look around here."

"It could take ages to find them, if they're not already far away from us." Knuckles warned him.

"It's worth the risk." Tails interrupted with determination. "I'm not going home until I find my daughter."

"Well, I want to go home." Pitney complained, earning him a smack from Kauri.

"Quiet, fool." Kauri told him, as Amy Rose glanced at their direction for a moment, then just shrugged her shoulders. "Come on, lets move away from them."

"Are we going home?" Pitney asked hopefully.

"No." Kauri said flatly. "We're not giving up either until we've had our revenge."

**(Hellebore)**

Violet dragged her way to her room after the Vulpesune's tiring lesson. Depressed, exhausted, and wanting a good sleep, she was shocked and angry to realize there was a grey figure blocking her door.

"You're pretty bold, aren't you, wolf?" She said quietly, although clearly exasperated.

"I only wanted to know your training went." The wolf told her apathetically.

Violet raised an eyebrow. "What does it look like?"

The wolf laughed. "You make a good point there." Violet did not like the look he was giving her after that.

"Hey, get out of her way!" A rabbit growled up at him.

"Hnn." The wolf muttered, as he looked down, moving away from Violet and towards the balcony.

"I'll pound you, you stupid wolf!" The rabbit snapped at him, racing up towards him.

The wolf only looked at her with a raised eyebrow as she charged up the stairs, but then turned around to see a blue hedgehog slam into him, making both of them fall off the balcony.

The wolf slammed into the ground, but not before reversing their position, so his ambusher got most of the impact. He quickly picked himself up, to see the angry look of Sonic Jr.

"So you got me. Although I expected you to get retribution sooner." The wolf said quietly.

"You're up to no good, wolf." The hedgehog glared at him. "I intend to teach you a lesson again."

"Six moves, and you'll be on the ground." The wolf predicted. "Counting yours as well to the total."

"Hey, that was my fight!" Cinnamon cried from above.

"Shut up, Cinnamon!" Sonic snapped at her. "You wouldn't last a second against him."

"Are you going to argue with your girlfriend, or are you going to actually hit me?" The wolf challenged him.

"She's not mine." The hedgehog told him coldly. "And Violet's not yours."

The hedgehog then zoomed towards the wolf, aiming straight on center, but the wolf twisted, grabbing his hand. "Two." The wolf counted. He then flipped him up into the air, kicked at his stomach. Sonic cunningly landed on his feet, however, giving him a clever look.

"Nice try!" He shouted, this time landing a punch on the wolf's stomach. But the wolf ignored the pain, and before Sonic could even pull his fist back for a second attack, he found a foot in his face, slamming him down on the ground.

Violet and Cinnamon watched from her balcony, looking worriedly upon the battle scene. "Boys." Cinnamon snarled. "I hate them both."

_"Can Sonic Jr. even take him?" _Violet thought to herself. _"Sonic can't seem to outmaneuver him."_

"Six, as I said." The wolf told him, walking away. He sighed as Sonic Jr. sped around him, his leg slicing low, trying to clip him. The wolf waited, then as he drew a bit closer, he lifted up his foot and slammed it onto the ground…

… Right where Sonic's foot ended up. The hedgehog growled in pain as the wolf looked down on him. "Foolish hedgehog. Don't you know who I trained under? Shadow would not have me be unable to anticipate speed."

The wolf picked him up in the air, and slammed his fist into the chin, making the hedgehog fly into a tree. But to the wolf's amazement, the hedgehog seemed to daze out of the move, spinning around the tree, and coming right back at him…

**A/N: Right in the middle of the action! Wait till next chapter…**


	13. Rivals and Revelations

**Rivals and Revelations**

The shocked wolf shifted his foot in the dirt, focusing intently his position and that of Sonic Jr. who was flying at him as he slowly curved, spikes rolling, dislike and intention clear.

The hedgehog slammed into him, causing the wolf to growl as his footing slipped on the ground, a second hand instinctively reaching to support himself as the hedgehog finally spun off. Blood began to ooze from his arm, which had taken most of it, slight cuts from the hedgehog's spikes into his arms. If he had been spinning at his maximum, it would have cut much deeper.

Good thing there weren't any chaos emeralds around.

"Got you." The hedgehog said confidently.

Violet and Cinnamon watched with admiration as the wolf glared at him angrily. The two heard footsteps behind them, to see an earnest Sarah look upon the field of battle. "What's going on?"

"They're fighting, can't you see?" Cinnamon said impatiently, as the two combatants panted, watching the other intently.

Sarah gasped, her eyes on the wolf's arm. "Oh, I hope he's okay… that cut in his arm looks painful…"

"He'll be fine…" Cinnamon began, before her eyes widened. "What? Why the heck are you watching out for the wolf for?"

Sarah ignored her, her eyes on the wolf. The wolf meanwhile, raised three fingers up at Sonic, who chortled at his crazy action.

"Three? You got to be kidding me. I'll take you in three!"

The wolf paused, and then lowered one finger, before he charged at the hedgehog. Sonic Jr. scoffed as he raced around him, feet kicking up dirt, then zoomed toward him, arm winding up…

… only to hit air, as a leg kicked up at him from below. The hedgehog looked down with surprise as he noticed a figure leaping up from the ground feet first. The wolf had made himself fall to the ground right when he swung. _"He knew my strategy before I did…"_ Sonic cursed.

Sonic then watched the wolf flip, his hand grabbing Sonic's falling body, before his second slammed down home against his stomach. Sonic was too winded to do anything but take the pain, his stomach crying pain as the wind was knocked out of him, first by the punch, then the impact of the ground.

The wolf panted heavily as he looked down at him, and then kicked at him as a hand tried to reach out and grab his leg. Sonic Jr. suppressed the pain, locking his eyes with the wolf's eyes, cold and focused. The wolf then shook his head, and began to walk away.

"Hey, nameless one!" Sonic Jr. growled, slowly rising up to one knee as he felt his side ache with pain. "You're walking away already? I'm not done yet, nameless one!"

The hedgehog then fell on his side, as he felt his friends race toward him, Violet and Sarah helping him up. Cinnamon stood a few feet away, but if the hedgehog had turned to look at him, he would have seen real concern, something the hedgehog never noticed.

"If you were truly worthy to fight, I would have fought you to the death." The wolf said from behind him. "You should be thankful for being weak."

Sonic Jr. tried to raise himself up and rush at him, but he only fell, his friends catching him. "Not now," Violet warned him. "He got your legs pretty good."

Sonic pushed her and Sarah away, and began limping away from them, his leg dragging on the dirt, flattening the grass. The grey rabbit Cinnamon slowly approached him. "Are you okay?" Cinnamon asked him.

The blue hedgehog stopped, and then turned to look at her. It was a cold, harsh glare, not filled with kindness or sorrow at all. Cinnamon instinctively stepped back.

"I'm going to get him." Sonic Jr. said quietly to her. "I'm not letting some student of Shadow stop me. I'm Sonic the Hedgehog II, and I'll prove it!" He then pulled closer to her, so close that their noses were almost touching. "But I don't want your concern, and stay out of the way next time, or you'll be sorry." He then moved his face away from her, limping away.

A tear slide down Cinnamon's face, trailing down her eyes, sliding down her gentle cheeks, and then it began free-falling to the ground. It then gently tapped against the dirt, but it did not stay there long as the ground soaked it up, to be hungrily fed by the flowers and weeds.

(Hellebore)

Violet sat in her room, a tear falling from her eye, as she heard a knock on her door. The seer's lessons were long and fatiguing, and she was frustrated with her ability. Her second lesson was difficult as the seer threw several rocks at her, and she had to stop each one individually with her mind. But she couldn't do it, although she could stop them all, she couldn't stop one like she had one in the past. "You have time, child." The seer soothed her. "Impatience, however, will only lengthen your journey."

Stupid wise words. Violet ignored the knocker as she wiped her tears first. She had seen Richard today, watching her lesson, another bad one after he showed up. She had wanted to speak to him, but the Seer demanded of her patience. She obliged, but when the time was over, he had left.

Maybe their love was over after all.

Violet sighed as the knocking continued, then got up, and opened the door, and as expected, the happy face of Sarah answered it. "Hey there Violet, how are things?"

"Well, my lessons are going horrible." Violet grumbled. "I have hardly progressed since day one, and I haven't got a grasp of anything new. How can I make a difference if I can only go back two minutes in time?"

"You could stop me from burning salad now." Sarah innocently suggested.

"Sarah, you don't cook salad. Don't you remember me stopping you from putting it in the oven in cooking class?"

"Right, about that…" Sarah said. "That day you were absent, we kind of had a quiz, and I… err…"

"It's okay Sarah, don't go in detail." Violet stopped her. "Thanks for getting me though, since the clock's broken."

"It's alright, although I wonder why she changed the time to the evening." Sarah then marveled at her. "I wish I was being trained. With all the rumors of a battle occurring the last two days, it wouldn't be bad, eh?"

"They're not fighting in here, at least." Violet stated. "We're safe, for a while. We should be well done with my training here, and then we can go home."

Home… a sudden wave of guilt transpired into her, and Sarah looked at her worriedly. "Aren't… aren't you worried about your parents?"

"I told them I was running away for a few days." Sarah said with a grin. "Everyone in my family's done it once, although we never leave more than a month or so. Dad did it once, we found him napping on the couch a month later."

"Oh, what about everyone else?" Violet said. "Their parents must be worried sick."

"Well, you, Cinnamon, and Sonic Jr. sure." Sarah told her. "But err… if things get better with Richard for you, you should ask him about his parents."

"You know something I don't?" Violet said, somewhat offended.

"I didn't find out by normal means." Sarah explained. "I'm a bit of a scullion. But it's not my place to tell you. You'd better ask him…"

Violet was about to inform, as she looked out the night sky, and then remembered something. "Right, I got to get to my training. Talk to you later, Sarah." As she was about to go down the stairs, the three-tailed fox turned around and asked. "Erm, how are Sonic Jr. and Cinnamon?"

"You didn't see Cinnamon tackle a fox the hedgehog flirting with, did you?" Sarah asked her. Violet shook her head. "You don't want to know details. To call it a cat fight would underscore the situation."

"Yeah..." Violet agreed, making her way down the stairs.

She made her way into the hut almost in a rush, but to her surprise, the Seer wasn't sitting by her desk, but standing right in front of her, her misty eyes boring right into her, the pain on her face almost making Violet shout out.

"Are… are we training outside, Seer?" Violet stuttered. The Seer shook her head.

_"_We are not_."_ The Seer answered her. She sighed, the typical pains of her voice entering Violet's heart and twisting it with sadness, and it was quiet for a moment as Violet waited for her to explain.

_"Child…"_ The vixen began awkwardly. "_I set your lesson at night this day so I could tell you what I was unable to tell you before. Night is the best time for me to share an event, particularly when it is this…" _She didn't finish her thought.

"Seer?" Violet questioned, understanding what she meant but unsure if this was a good idea. The fox's emotions were terrible readable, and Violet did not like reading such emotions of a torn being.

"I wish to tell you about the nine-tailed." The vixen told her, her voice quiet and weak, but still projected throughout the tent. The dolorous, nostalgic tone pained Violet, but she weathered it, wanting to listen to her tale. "It will help you… and me, I think."

"Take my hand, child." The Seer ordered her. "It is time now to go in his past… and my past."

**A/N: Extremely important chapter coming up. This reveals not only the Seer's past, but elements that are a part of all six parts of a Tale of Tails and Plants.**


	14. DuTel Amor

**Du-Tel Amor**

**A/N: Long, historical chapter. It moves quickly, but gives very important info! Enjoy.**

Violet slowly took the Seer's hand, and the Seer brought her within a whirl of mist, her eyesight completely dark for a second, everything foggy, the seer's hand the only reassurance that Violet hadn't disappeared from the world.

_ Violet gasped as the fog around her began to clear, and she looked at a young three tailed fox, all three tails a yellow-orange, speaking to someone. To her surprise, her eyes did not see purple anymore, but the colors shown by the Seer in her farsight. "Now listen." The Seer directed her. _

_ "Please… can'ttt I get anotherrr try?" The young three-tailed fox asked shyly. "I can f fight betterr."_

_ The older looking fox looked down at her with anger. "No! You useless fox. I warned your mother those three tails were a curse. Losing to the Hirajoshi's like that." He spat on the ground. "If it weren't for your mother, I'd have you thrown in a lake long ago…"_

_ The fox sighed as the girl whimpered silently. "Your punishment for losing that fight will be harsh. It is a pity you are not like your older brother. He is a fine heir to the Kumoi clan." The female fox looked at him fearfully as the elder Kumoi raised a practice sword, ready to execute her punishment._

The image withered and died. Violet turned to the Seer questioningly, but the Seer said nothing as another image played onto the mist.

_The young fox, which Violet figured was the Seer, was slowly swinging her feet from the bench when she slowly heard a noise. Curious, she got off the bench, and walked slowly toward the source._

_ "Hey, the nine-tailed's pretty short!" A fox cried, as a gang surrounded an irritated orange nine-tailed fox. _

_ "Hey, give me back my sword!" The fox cried. "I can't continue practicing without it."_

_ "Practicing?" The other foxes said. "You're the worst page ever. You can't tie your own shoes. You'll never become a squire at your rate."_

_ "But I have to!" The fox told them. "I'm going to become the greatest champion of the kitsune kingdom!"_

_ The foxes said nothing for a moment, and then all burst out laughing. "Good joke, nine-tailed. But don't worry. When I'm a cavalier, I'll have you be my squire. Then you can pick up my dirty stuff."_

_ The fox's laughed again as the nine-tailed fox reached for his sword in vain. The Seer watched, feeling sorry for the nine-tailed as the foxes then threw it into the lake. Unrelenting, the nine-tailed fox jumped in the lake, retrieving his wet practice blade. The water was very cold and icy in some parts, but the fox didn't care. He shivered for a moment, putting his arms close for warmth, and started training again. She watched in awe, as the fox swung his sword around for hours, unrelenting, even in the rain, refusing to let fatigue to get him._

The mist enveloped in gray for a moment. "That was the nine-tailed…"

"What was his name?" Violet asked. But the Seer wasn't looking at her now, but the next image.

_Several pages, including the nine-tailed fox, lined up, each with nervousness and anxiety as several cavaliers walked up to each one of them, listening to the info given from the adult that guided them through the hall._

_ "Tatsuki Shisura, our top student." The instructor informed him. "Very obedient and efficient."_

_ "Can he handle a blade?" One of the knight's asked. "I tend to run in trouble a lot." _

_ "I'd say you are trouble, Riko."_

_ "Hmph."_

_ "Err…" The instructor began, fearing a fight between the two cavaliers. "He's quite good, although he could use some improvement."_

_ "I'll take him." _

_ The page smiled as he jumped in joy and shook the adult fox's hand. As several other pages soon found knights, the instructor and the cavaliers stopped at the nine-tailed fox. "Hey! I'm Sakuri Prower! I"ll be the best squire you ever had!"_

_ "Freakshow sure knows how to entertain!" The cavaliers laughed._

_ "Err… Sakuri's decent with clean up… and he's loyal and…"_

_ "Not interested." A cavalier said, and the others nodded. "Next…"_

_ Watching from the doorway, the Seer looked at the Page, who slammed his foot on the ground in frustration. One of the other boys, who wasn't selected, shook his head. "Maybe you should quit. This is the second selection ceremony, and you still haven't been picked."_

_ The nine tailed page looked back at him, a fierce glare in his eye. "I'll never quit..."_

The mist faded to grey once more. "That's… that's my ancestor?" Violet asked, shocked.

But the Seer wasn't listening, too focused on procuring the next scene.

The scene shifted once more, and now it was focused upon a new fox. His fur was the same hue as the Seers and had similar futures, and Violet accurately guessed him to be her brother. She was watching through the doorway as he was about to walk out.

_ "Jin, take another squire. It's only four to eight years."_

_ The fox glared back at his father. "Who? I could take the most powerful, good-willed fox, but it may not stop him from defecting. Evil can take any one of us. Even me… even you." The two foxes turned, to see a shy three-tailed fox peering through the doorway. The father looked at her sternly, but the son laughed and motioned for her to come in._

_ The fox looked at his sister and smiled. "Hey, its lady Kari Kumoi." Her father stood up as she entered. _

_ "Think about it Jin." The father said. "You have proven yourself perhaps the greatest Kumoi in our clan. I would hate for you to come to shambles." He then walked out of the room, as Jin sighed and gave her a cheerful smile._

_ "Don't let him bother you, sister." He grinned. _

_ The Seer (young) returned the smile shyly. "Are… are you not going to the selection ceremony again?"_

_ The fox was surprised that she had listened to their conversation. Rather than being irritated, he gave her a sad smile. "I'll probably go to appease father, but I do not think it will be worthwhile." He sighed, thinking for a moment. "My last squire… well, you know what happened with him."_

_ The young female fox remembered the nine-tailed fox, training with his blade by night, struggling with the duties of page in the morning. "I'll never quit…"_

_ "Jin?" The Seer began shyly. The older fox looked at her as she began twiddling her thumbs._

_ "Eh sister?" _

_ "There's… a… a page…" She shyly began. Her older brother listened attentively as she told her story of the nine-tailed fox._

_ When she finished he gave her a warm smile, but shook his head. "I can make no promises, sister, but I'll check him out."_

The mist turned to grey for even a less amount of time before as the next memory appeared in front of her.

_The pages were in line once more, as the instructor and the cavaliers entered once more. "It's the famous Jin Kumoi!" One of the page's foolishly roared to his other friends. A muttering started to occur between all the foxes. The nine-tailed stood in one place, kicking his shoes slowly, frustrated with the failure the last four years to be selected. Sakuri knew he was by far the oldest page not only amongst his group, but in history._

_ "Ha." One of the cavaliers passed him, grunting as he noticed the age difference. "Go home, boy."_

_ The rest of the cavaliers were behind the instructor as he once again explained the abilities of each of his students. "Rio de'lore, by far our most prized student. Quick, efficient, and capable in combat."_

_ Jin Kumoi smiled, knowing that the instructor was trying to give the page to him, but he let one of the other cavaliers speak first._

_ Slowly they walked to the nine-tailed, and the instructor sighed, glaring hard at the kitsune so he would not speak out of turn. "Sakuri Prower… a… oh, what's the use. He's pathetic." The other cavaliers began to laugh, but Sir Jin Kumoi did not._

_ "I'll take him." Sir Kumoi told the instructor. The others stared at him in disbelief, and then started laughing again._

_ Wanting to show he was serious, he made a gesture to the fox. "Come on, Sakuri. I'm sure your parents would like to know."_

_ "Cut it out, Jin." One of the cavaliers told him. "Now your being cruel. He doesn't have any parents."_

_ Jin looked at him carefully… A pain went through his face as he remembered something from the past… something terrible. His last squire was an orphan too…_

_ He sighed as he took the surprised fox's hand. "Time to make up for the past, I suppose."_

_ The cavaliers watched in shock as Sir Jin Kumoi, the legendary cavalier, heir to the throne, and most likely to become champion, took the worst page in history as his squire._

The mist faded for a long moment as Violet turned to look at the Seer. There was a smile on her face, a beautiful smile, and Violet felt an odd happiness from her heart coming from the Seer's emotional aura as the next image displayed within the mist.

_"Ki!" The nine-tailed yelled as he swung with a real blade against his master, Sir Kumoi. He quickly parried it, clenching his teeth a bit at the fox's surprising strength. Confident, the knight then swung with his second blade to strike the sword out of his hand. _

_ Watching the blade fall, the fox quickly swung all nine-tails toward the blade, swinging it back around with one to deflect a strike, as his hand grabbed it from his tail. Impressed, Sir Kumoi withdrew his blades. "Cunning."_

_ "I did well, master?" _

_ "I was impressed indeed."_

_ "Alright!" The fox roared. "One step closer to becoming champion of the kingdom!" He then began his victory dance, which earned him a smack from Sir Kumoi._

_ "That's enough, Sakuri." Sir Kumoi chastised him lightly, rather finding his display amusing. He then turned towards the tree at the sound of a twig snapping, catching the guilty face of the young Seer. "Looks like we got a friendly visit." The fox smiled._

_ "Behind the tree?" The nine-tailed asked. Curious, he practiced his master's silent movement technique, amplified by his boots, and moved toward the tree. Noticing the girl fox having her back against the trunk, he shouted. "Hi there!"_

_ "Eeeep!" the girl Kumoi yelped, her face flushing as she ran to the other side of the trunk. Noticing her brother starting at her with an amused smile on his face, and feeling rather trapped, she dived into a bush._

_ "What's up with her?" Sakuri asked his master. Jin gave him an annoyed glance, then shook his head, smiling._

_ "You'll figure it out one day."_

The mist whirled to grey, and Violet noticed the smile gone from the Seer's face, as she procured another memory from her head.

"_You killed him!" Sakuri shouted at a dark red fox, looking down at the dead body of Jin Kumoi, his heart pierced by a sword. Sakuri himself was crawling towards him, weak, but unwilling to give up._

_ "So, the apprentice kills the master." The fox muttered, annoying Sakuri as he began to walk off. _

_ With amazing strength, the nine-tailed stood up, and charged at the fox. "Foolish Champion." The murderer smirked, taking his double bladed sword into both hands, before turning to slice and kill the foolish Prower._

_ It never hit him… but cut into someone else's flesh as Violet noticed Kari Kumoi slam his body into him, pushing him away to the ground, the blow slicing into her leg._

_ Then she began chanting wildly as Sakuri, felt her hand over his heart. "What… what are you doing?" The fox asked._

_ "Giving you what you need." Kari replied. She then placed his hand over her heart, and the fox felt their pulses match equally in rhythm, as a bright white light enveloped them. The nine-tailed fox looked surprised as he saw a flower in Kari's mouth, with white petals, her teeth gnashing against them._

_ Helleborus Niger. The Christmas Rose. The vixen was eating one of the most toxic flowers in the world. Too weak to cry out, he watched her as her eyes bore into his, determined, terribly determined. Her mouth began to move._

_"Du-tel Amor." _Kari began chanting in her head. _"Hereby I split my soul, giving half to nine-tailed fox Sakuri Prower, my only love. My purity and innocence my strength, shall now be his. Should he die, my life is forfeit. Should death take me, or the toxins of the white hellebore paralyze and slay me, it shall have no complete soul to take till it is his time. Thus is the power of Du-tel Amor, should it find my love worthy."_

_ The white light flickered, and then vanished as an exhausted Kari looked into the shocked Sakuri's eyes. "What did you do that for?" Sakuri asked her. "That's a terrible curse…"_

_ Kari looked at him, shocked at his lack of understanding. But it was all hitting him now. He turned to look at his master's ex-squire, looking at the two with shock. "You… the Seer girl. The one that can read the future and speak in people's minds. You… you not only love me… but love me enough to curse yourself?"_

_ Tears went down Kari's eyes, as her hand gently cupped his cheek, the strength from her waning. "Fight for my brother, your master. Fight for me... if you think you can return my love one day. I'm afraid however, that if you die… this kingdom will have no heir. My life is forever intertwined with yours"_

_ The nine-tailed fox turned around, and in his anger, along with Kari's power inside him, he could now see where Jin's ex-apprentice would attack. His tails took on all six major colors, as well as white and black, as he glared at the evil fox. It was then that Violet saw it. The galactic eyes that were so much her own shined like bright suns, dangerously bright and dangerously angry._

_ "I will not fail!" He cried, before his tails and hands began withdrawing every blade he had, turning himself into a very deadly combat machine…_

The image disappeared in a puff of smoke. Violet waited for the next, but it did not come. She then looked up at the cursed-wise vixen. "Is this why you are cursed?"

She nodded slowly, a single tear dropping that felt as if Violet's heart was just tearing itself apart, making her place her hand over it, as if it was just then breaking. "I was so selfish and deep in love I was willing to rip half-my soul out and place it into him, as well as risk death from the poisons of Hellebore. The hellebore itself is only a small risk; the whole affair itself of Du-tel Amor is far more perilous than it sounds. If your love isn't strong enough, you die while you chant. If they die any time after the chant, you die as well. But until that happens, you live. And if you grow apart, or are forcibly separated, the heartbreak is multiplied hundreds of times. You are cursed with terrible, eternal grief."

"And the hellebore is the key?"

The Seer replied. "The hellebore is a key to a great many things; those most powerful are what it does to aid love."

Violet thought about that for a moment. "So where is… Sakuri? How's he not dead?"

"That was not the last fight between him and my brother's ex-squire, Lord Oramo. They fought again, years later, after I bore his son. The battle grew so ferocious, but eventually Oramo began losing. Unwilling to just surrender, Oramo trapped him and Sakuri in a chasm, locked between two ancient orbs. I tried to find him… have even dreamed of his location… but only a fool could survive the place where those orbs are located."

"Yet without him, my pain increased tremendously. I was inconsolable. I couldn't kill myself. I couldn't get out of the terrible depression. I am still in it. But there is still more consequences for Du-tel Amor."

"What?" Violet dared asked.

"Your bloodline… in the affairs of love, tragedy strikes the first love. It has an unusually high success rate… but also an unbelievably high death rate. Your grandfather's wife was killed by his own brother. Your great-uncle killed his own wife. Your uncle, Zoran, lost his first love in a village raid. Even your father had lost his love to the cruelty of the ways of war."

"Father did?" Violet asked.

She nodded. "He was luckier, however. She came back."

Violet slowly wrapped her head around this, and then she finally realized it. "Many others in our family were broken-hearted from loss or permanent separation. I am sad to say this, but it is better if you don't love, Violet."

Violet looked up at her for a moment, and then remembered the vision she saw four nights earlier, a bleeding Richard, but then shook her head firmly. She wouldn't let it come true. She had abilities, she would stop it. "No. I want to be with Richard. I really care about him."

"I knew you'd say that." The vixen replied. They walked to the tent flap, as Violet began to go towards her tent, to rest and think on the vixen's words. "But… you risk his death, Violet."

"With my newfound abilities, I won't let that happen!" Violet replied confidently. The cursed wise-vixen's face was masked now, unreadable by Violet. Violet then muttered to herself. "But first I got to win him back again."

The vixen watched her go off not to her tent, but to find Richard. "Those eyes..."

She then walked back to her tent, the wind blowing a slight familiar chill to her bones.


	15. Can You Forgive Me?

**Can You Forgive Me?****, **

**A****A/N: More Flashbacks in this chapter, in Italics, but shorter, and focused on Richard's past.**

Richard was perched on the bench, breathing the fresh air. Occasionally a whiff of smoke would clog the air, reminding Richard that here was near a battlefield, that a few of the Queen's warriors were dying trying to push back the enemy, as distant cannon shots screamed through the air, then hushed as eerie silence loomed back in like a curtain falling on the stage, hiding all the chaos behind it.

His eyes turned to the lake nearby, large and quiet, with a fox rowing gently in the distance, illuminated by the moon that was reflected translucently on the cool shallow water. The cold night air blowing on Richard's white fur did not bother him at all, as he sat calmly on the bench, thinking about the past.

It was the past that was haunting his sleep. The freezing night air helped awaken him, kept the darkness of his dreams at bay, if only for a moment. Earlier, after jerking awake from a particular haunting memory, he felt a pang to be with someone, to share his dark memories with. But the only person who would listen he had pushed away, pushed away even though he now knew everything, had fully realized that he had let the past dictate the present, a past she had no fault in…

The memories began to press into him like a knife into a heart. But he was used to the pain, and had mastered masking it. No, he couldn't even have told her… it was too much for him. Fostering it inside had always worked.

Yet everyday… the memories seemed to get heavier, as if the tombstones were suddenly causing the ground below it to howl in ache as the dead began to crush it with its overbearing weight…

His dead sister rose in his head first. Extremely shy, Richard had spoken more in one week than she has ever said in the ten years of life she had received. Like Violet, she had an odd love of plants, as if she was one with the creatures. They shared the same smile… with a slight twist to the side, the right side. It seemed to show a tinge of fear, of uncertainty. The left side was the normal smile, a beautiful smile of a timid girl.

_Richard looked at her as her hand gently, ever so gently ran down the stem of the poppies, touching the petals with a soft touch as she sprinkled water on the flowers using her small glass. She smiled at the plant. _

_ "What are you doing?" Richard asked curiously. As usual, the girl did not respond, after a while just shrugging her shoulders as she looked at the flowers._

_ "Well, supper's ready." Richard informed her. The girl nodded, not looking at him, but her attention still on the plants. "Valerie? Are you listening?"_

_ She finally turned to him, her eyes looking on the ground as she nodded. Richard sighed. He knew she heard him, but she could be so… unresponsive. "Come on in."_

Valerie… so ignorant innocent… just like…

"Violet?" Richard asked, noticing the three-tailed fox appearing in front of him. "Where did you come from?"

"The past, really." Violet told him. "I went back two minutes, because I couldn't find you." She looked down on the ground, embarrassed, an ashamed look on her face. She took a deep breath when she began. "Richard…"

_"Richard…" His sister asked him, looking down on the ground again. "…." (She muttered something incomprehensible.)_

_ "What did you say, Valerie?"_

_ "…"_

_ "Valerie?"_

_ "Nevermind." She mumbled quietly…_

Valerie took another deep breath. Richard finally realized what she was about to say, and why it was taking her so long to say it. "Violet, look, I should be apologizing. I… didn't understand enough. It's just I had come so far for you… and I find you with that scoundrel. I was tired, an idiot, and assumed anything."

"You are an idiot." Violet said lightheartedly, before her lips quivered with a pang of sadness."But I shouldn't have let him!" Violet argued back. "It was unfair and indecent to you. And now I've lost you."

Richard looked up at the three-tailed fox, tears falling from her star-like eyes. He pitied her painful state… sometimes he was such an idiot… but not only to her…

_"Valerie!"_ Richard growled at her. _"I told you not to walk around, you absent-minded girl! Now look what you've done."_

_ A few tears were going down her eyes as Richard and Valerie both were being held by two muggers. "Don't worry kids." The first said half-heartedly. "As soon as your parents come looking for you, we'll make a trade."_

_ "Come on, Bill." The first said, laughing at his uneasiness. "Let's rough them up a bit." He shook Valerie, placing her against the wall. "Come on kid, look at me!"_

_ Valerie looked at the ground, refusing to look at me. Angry at her disobedience, the mugger pulled out his knife. "I said look at me, kid!"_

_ The girl peered up at him, but then looked away. "In the eye, coward!" He demanded._

_ "Charles!" Bill cautioned him. "She's just a kid!"_

_ "Shut up, Bill." Charles snapped at him. "What if she lied? What if her parents aren't coming this way?" He leered into her eyes, but Valerie would not look back into them, instead closing them and avoiding contact at all possible._

_ "She won't do it." Richard told him. "She never has given anyone eye-contact. She…" Bill quickly covered his mouth as Charles glared at him then leered at Valerie again._

_ "Keep him quiet Bill." He looked at Valerie, as she mumbled something. _

_ "Speak up, twerp."_

_ "…" _

_ "I SAID SPEAK UP!"_

_ "…"_

_ "Why you…" Charles raised the knife irritated, as Bill shoved Richard aside. _

_ "Charles!"_

"… I'm so sorry, Richard." Violet kept saying. "I shouldn't have hurt you like that." She unconsciously grabbed his hand. Richard' heart leaped at the familiar touch, but his mind still ached of the past… and of the present.

Why was he mad at her, before, anyway? She was as innocent as Valerie was, although not nearly as shy. "Can you… can you forgive me?" Violet pleaded with him.

_"Can you… can you forgive me?" Valerie whispered, so quietly that Richard barely heard her. Her blood was oozing from the ground as the two muggers fought in the background, Bill trying to suppress the bloodthirsty Charles._

_ "It… it wasn't your fault." Richard told her, holding her hand. "It… it was mine. Look, don't say such things! You'll be all right. You'll be with your poppies just like before, Valerie. Valerie… "_

_ She smiled at him, and for the first time in her life, she looked her brother in the eye, and Richard could see that sad light shade of blue sparkle prettily…_

_ And then her eyelids closed._

"Valerie…"

"Valerie?" Violet said, confused. Richard realized he was speaking out loud. He gave Violet a small smile.

"She was my sister…" Richard told her. He looked at her for a moment, considering telling her everything, at least this much. But the past was stronger; it had quickly slaughtered any idea of a confession. "You remind me of her." Richard stated, although it wasn't what he wanted to say. "She'd always blame herself for everything that went wrong. I would always get mad, and yet I'd forgive her."

Richard pulled her to the bench, so she was next to him, and then pulled her head towards his chest to rest on. "That's what relationships are about. With family, friends, people you care about. It's about understanding and forgiving, isn't it?"

Violet looked up at him, and smiled her innocent warm smile. She looked so enchanting, looking up at him, her charming eyes drinking in his heart, that for a moment, he buried the past deep within his shell… he knew there was no resisting the temptation she wrought on him.

"Well, I guess since we're not together anymore, you can't kiss me then." Violet said slyly, sensing Richard leaning ever closer.

"I guess we'll have to start over then." Richard told her, smiling down on her. His hand gently stroked her cheek. "I'm Richard. I want to be your boyfriend."

"I'm Violet." The three-tailed fox said, smiling up at him. "I want to be your girlfriend."

The two then leaned in for a kiss as their lips melted together, Richard hungrily pulling his maiden in closer. The moon shined in on them, perhaps reflecting Violet's eyes across the galaxy, spreading their galactic image through the realms.

**(Hellebore)**

The wolf watched nearby, his heart downcast at the scene. No, he had failed to separate them. Violet was too enchanting, was still becoming even more so, and perhaps it was too strong to repel the male arctic fox. The wolf shook his head, heading back to his tent.

But Shadow got what he wanted. The girl's training was going great… Soon, she would be ready.

**A/N: A sad, fluffy chapter, but I thought I'd tie a knot or two before they set off.**


	16. Revelations and Troubles

**Revelations and Troubles**

The wolf stood outside the throne room, glancing at the guards examining him carefully, their eyes slowly looking him over through their before shifting their gaze away and opening the way to the door. The wolf sighed, understanding of such precaution but also annoyed. Whoever was laying siege to the kingdom certainly wouldn't have been clever enough to get this far in, anyway.

As he entered, he saw Shadow and the Queen speaking to each other softly, and then turning to him as he made his way toward them.

"You've arrived." Shadow said coldly.

"You summoned me, master?" The wolf asked, quizzically. There was no point in mentioning he was late.

"Listen," was all Shadow said. He then made a gesture to Queen Selina who nodded, and then turned to the wolf.

"We looked in on the information you gave us, Shadow. I hate to say this, but you're right. Balthazar is leading the army. But my question is how the heck did she get free of her cell?"

"Revenge is enough to break any chain." Shadow curtly answered.

Selina gave him an odd look when he said that, but then gave him a grim smile. "I suppose so. Regardless, I see trouble for my troops. There aren't many kitsunes that have arrived here yet, and by the time they get here, they may well be in. I'm certain I can stop her from taking over this place, and crush her, but I'll lose many civilians. I would like to avoid this."

"I see you have given my idea thought then." Shadow told her.

The Queen nodded. "The Seer tells me Violet is nearly done with her training here, the final segment to take place in just another night. When she is done, you may send your small force after Balthazar. I want her captured, however, Shadow. I want the law to judge her here. Kill her only if there is no other option."

"Justice should have killed her a long time ago." Shadow coldly dissented.

"Justice was not in my hands a long time ago." Selina told him. "And I will not have you question my cousin's motives."

"My apologies, Queen Selina." Shadow apologized quickly.

"No matter. You have your organized force. But Violet's friends must stay with Violet."

"Queen Selina, they will only get in the way." Shadow warned her.

"I have seen bonds such as theirs before." The Queen told them. "Her friends searched for her, a dangerous and difficult trek just to get here, defying their parents. I won't stop them. Besides, a party of seven is a decent size, plus my two scouts."

"We can do fine without your scouts, Queen Selina." Shadow stated, but the Queen shook her head.

"Nonsense. Tsunami and Olivia are fine scouts, they will get you their quickly with minimal conflicts, far faster and safer than you Shadow could hope for."

There was truth to her words, the wolf noticed. Shadow bit his tongue.

"You are dismissed, and cleared to leave through the main gate in two days. I wish you luck."

The Queen rose from her chair, and Shadow and the wolf politely bowed. They then walked out of the room, the guards clearing the way for them.

Once they were out of earshot from the guards, Shadow finally spoke. "Our plan is going well; Balthazar shall have a week longer to live at most. If the Queen's scouts live up to expectations… perhaps in only a fortnight after we leave."

"I am pleased as well, master…" The wolf began, but Shadow cut in.

"Wolf." Shadow began. "I will not have you provoking the son of the hedgehog anymore from here on out. This could…"

"Master, I did not…"

"Do not interrupt me." Shadow snarled at him, making the wolf silent. "He knows of me, Sonic Jr. Apologize to Tails' daughter, and do not give into your hormones so easily."

The wolf growled silently, but looked up as Shadow gave him a sincere look, which from Shadow, was simply a sigh with a pitiful glance, as if the wolf was a weak lamb doomed to be eaten. "Wolf, love is a destructive thing for you. You will never have it. You can't even remember having it. But it is not so bad this way…"

The wolf walked beside his master, thinking on his words. "_You're wrong…" The wolf thought to himself. "I do remember being loved…by my mother if only barely…"_

_ (Hellebore)_

That evening, Sarah, Violet, and Richard all looked out from Violet's balcony onto the Seer's hut, which had just hours ago given Violet yet another training session. "Any more progress?" Sarah asked excitedly.

"Not much." Violet said disappointingly. "But she says my training is complete tomorrow, but I have so much to learn! I still have little control and understanding over my abilities."

"At least you have super abilities." Sarah replied. "Oh, if I could read people's minds…" A rather sinister look appeared on the raccoons face, causing Richard and Violet to laugh at her, but suddenly stopped as Sonic Jr. dramatically decelerated in front of them, kicking up a thumbs up pose before nearly slamming against the ledge. "Whoa, careful Sonic!"

"Never doubt me, I'm perfect!" Sonic Jr. grinned at her enthusiastically.

"Well, the wolf slammed you pretty hard a few days back…" Sarah pointed out, which caused Sonic Jr. to glare at her fiercely, making her take a step back.

"He was lucky, that's all." Sonic Jr. commented.

"He was _amazing_." Sarah sighed happily.

The hedgehog 's glare grew even darker. "Sarah that wolf… he's not a good guy. How can you be on his side?"

"She's not on his side, Sonic Jr." Violet said. "She's just commenting…"

"I know what's she's doing!" Sonic Jr. said with a displeased look. "She's just mocking me."

Richard stifled a laugh, as the hedgehog whirled to look at him. The arctic fox quickly coughed, pulling Violet in closer to him.

"He is a good guy!" Sarah said. "He's just misunderstood."

"He kissed Violet for goodness sake! And when Kauri's gang attacked us, weeks back, he was riding Cinnamon's brother's bike! He hangs out at scoundrel's bars, and his master… Shadow… my father's told me all sorts of stories about…"

"I wish he kissed me." The raccoon sighed, hardly listening to Sonic's blathering. The hedgehog could hardly believe what she was saying.

"Sarah, Sonic, why don't you…" Richard began to cut in, but the hedgehog interrupted.

"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?" Sonic Jr. nearly roared.

The raccoon looked at him blankly. "What did I say?"

"You know what you said!"

"No, I was just thinking to myself."

"No, you talked out loud!"

"Oh, I was?" The Raccoon was clueless. "Nah, you're just joking."

"Stop playing games with me, raccoon." The hedgehog retorted with irritation.

"We were playing a game?"

"Sonic…" Violet tried to soothe him, but now the hedgehog was looking at another person, the wolf himself, looking up at them with a serious look. Richard's arms reached just in time, the hedgehog was already getting ready to run full speed at him.

The wolf seemingly ignored him and went to walk toward Violet. Richard help a protective arm around Violet, as he glanced at him with suspicion, while the other, with Violet's help, kept the hedgehog from surely landing a punch. Sarah looked at him with doting eyes, until they turned to anxiety as the hedgehog broke free.

The wolf sidestepped right on time as the hedgehog missed, instead landing on the stairs, causing him to fall down. Reflexes stopped him from falling all the way down; he stood up, looking at him angrily.

"I have not come to fight." The wolf whispered. Sarah looked at him hopefully, and the wolf's eyes swept toward her for a moment, confused, but then swept back toward Violet. "I have come to inform you of the events that will be transpiring in the next few days."

They all looked at him, Richard still having his guard up as the wolf gave him an odd look. "Perhaps I should have apologized first." The wolf muttered. "I am sorry for the needless trouble I caused you." He held out a hand for him to shake.

"No you're not." Richard growled at him.

"Richard!" Violet exclaimed. "Don't be so cold."

The arctic fox looked into Violet's pleading eyes. _"Let's not cause more trouble."_ Violet told him in his thoughts. In his thoughts? What had she learned? But he would listen to her, and although he looked at the wolf warily, he still shook his hand,

Sonic Jr. began to charge at him again, but this time, fell to the ground before getting to his target. Sarah lightly began to whistle as everyone glanced at the clipped Sonic and the raccoon that seemed quite conspicuous.

"Tomorrow night, as you know, is your final day of training." The nameless wolf addressed Violet. "You will want to pack your bags that night; you will be coming with us on an important task."

"And what task is this?" Violet questioned him, unbelieving.

"To capture the leader of the kingdom's antagonists, and bring her to justice." The wolf informed her. "It will not be an easy task, and we will need your talents."

An ambitious feeling began to sink in to Violet as an idea burst into her head. She could test her powers, in a situation, and make a real difference here. She thought the wolf was lying, but something in his tone knew otherwise. Mind-reading was the least controllable of her abilities, but perhaps she should try it on the wolf.

Before Violet could focus, Richard began to speak. "I don't trust you wolf."

"You don't have to; you are coming as well, as long as the rest of her friends." The wolf added.

This caused Richard's anger and suspicious to sink quite quickly. "What trick are you pulling?"

"My master and the Queen want this war to end. As my master says, to strike the shepherd is to defeat the sheep. We know where the shepherd is, we are going to strike."

"We'll go!" Sarah cried.

"You are not going to weight the consequences?" The wolf asked her. "This is not a picnic, this is life or d—"

"I'll go anyway." Sarah said, perhaps with too much excitement. The wolf gave her an odd look, before raising an eyebrow at Richard and Violet, who just shrugged their shoulders. "She's not afraid of danger." Richard filled in for her. "And neither am I."

The wolf turned to look at the hedgehog, who gave him a hard, cold glare. "I don't trust you."

"You don't have to."

"One trick…" The hedgehog warned.

"You were a good challenge." The wolf admitted. "But I must strive for greater heights. What glory is there on beating the same person again and again."

The wolf then jumped over the balcony, landing on his feet and hands, as the hedgehog glared at him coldly. "Darn wolf. I'm going to make this journey a horror for him." The hedgehog then began to walk down the stairs.

"Oh, this is going to be wonderful." Sarah exclaimed.

"Sarah… maybe you shouldn't go." Violet told her. "It's dangerous…"

"And have the rest of you go?" Sarah replied stubbornly.

"The rest of us have done this before." Violet pointed out. "We have skills we use to protect ourselves, and…"

"Hey, don't count me out." Sarah cried with even more obstinacy. "I have abilities of my own you haven't seen yet!"

"Let her come, Violet." Richard intervened quietly.

"But…"

"I'll keep an eye on her, and you. I promise." Richard soothed her.

The half-vixen/half-seedrian sighed, her hand stroking her namesake violets on her head. "All right, but please don't do anything stupid, Sarah."

"I won't, I promise!" Sarah cried, giving Violet a quick hug as she leaped happily down the stairs.

"I'll go tell Cinnamon." Richard said, giving Violet a peck. He looked at her carefully. "Do you trust the wolf, Violet?"

"Yes." She admitted. "I do not believe he is lying to us."

He took her hand for a moment, staring into her galactic eyes. "I'll have some faith in him for you."

"Thank you." She whispered, as she leaned in for a kiss.

**(Hellebore)**

Shadow looked upon the great mountain over looming the trees, far in the distance, in full view due to lack of fog and clouds. Yes, a day at most. With scouts such as what the Queen was offering, they could capture her in a day.

But trouble would wait.

The hedgehog laughed. No, why would he await trouble, when he was the trouble for her… for Balthazar, whom vengeance was so very near…


	17. The last lecture

**The last lecture**

**A/N: The next chapters gain a lot more action. This chapter ties some knots before we move towards the climactic point…**

Sonic Jr. growled as he stalked on after that wolf. He wasn't going to escape… he would win, he was no lesser challenge. He was the greatest, best hedgehog in the…

He then bumped right into Cinnamon. "What, get out of my way, Cinnamon!" He snapped at her, trying to resume quietly following the wolf.

She didn't move.

"Cinnamon! Did you hear me?" The Hedgehog asked impatiently.

"You're a fool." The rabbit said darkly. "Chasing after the wrong things. You're just jealous. Weak and jealous."

"What?" The hedgehog glared at her. "Cinnamon, you really don't know what you're saying, okay. Just get out of my way!"

"Oh, I know what I'm saying." The rabbit drawled, jabbing her finger into his chest, her voice gaining a dangerously sharp edge. "You say you're here to help Violet, you're always wanting to help, to look good. But you know what, mister? You're just a selfish, arrogant b—"

"Cinnamon!" Sonic cut in.

"Don't interrupt me!" The rabbit flared at him, her hands latching onto his shoulders with great pressure, barely able to avoid shaking him. She fumed, then resorted to poking him, pushing him away from the wolf, who had just about disappeared in the distance, though the hedgehog knew that a far greater threat had emerged right in front of him. "You're a selfish, arrogant bastard, that's what you are. Damn you, Sonic the Hedgehog Jr. You show off, always wanting to look cool, charming the ladies and being perfect. But you know what? All you do is look like a jerk. And when you don't look cool, you're even more of a jerk. You're a damn bastard, that's what you are!"

The hedgehog didn't have any retort. He wondered how long she was bottling it up. "I am not jealous." He stubbornly said, although it almost came out like a squeak.

"I heard your conversation up there!" The rabbit continued, and Sonic realized he was being pushed against a tree trunk, and quickly side-stepped, but the rabbit moved faster still, right in his face, her eyes blazing with fiery anger. "That wolf's right all right, it's no wonder Sarah likes him. He's wise and clever, even with no special abilities, he can defeat you."

"Sarah's not even serious! And It was luck!" Sonic protested, but the rabbit cut in before he could even explain.

"It was more than that! He was calm and collected when you fought. You were confident but angry. You let your emotions take control, and look like a fool. That's all you do when you let your emotions take control. You look like a fool. You only think of yourself, hurting others!"

"I don't want to hear your complaints." Sonic snapped at her, causing the rabbit to slam him right against the tree. The hedgehog groaned with pain.

He could have run then, but something in her eyes paralyzed them. Something intense, something he had never seen before. He was surprised she hadn't murdered him, pounding him right on the spot.

Her next words were so soft he could barely hear them. "I hate you." The rabbit whispered coldly. "I'll always hate you, as much as I… as much as I…" Her anger seemed to leave, converting into something else, something gentler, but painful, as a tear fell down her face.

"Just as much I… love you." There was a pause as the two looked at each other silently. Then Cinnamon pulled back her arm and slapped him causing the hedgehog to recoil in pain, snapping his eyes shut in anticipation for a second one.

But when he opened his eyes, she wasn't even looking at him. She was moving away, and Sonic could hear the sobs from his place against the tree trunk.

"What did you do now, Sonic…" A voice sighed from behind him. Sonic turned around to see Richard looking at her retreating figure with crossed arms.

"You… you heard everything?"

"I paid little attention after a while." Richard informed him. "It is not my place."

"Woman." The hedgehog shook his head, although he felt the guilt heaving into his heart.

"She's your woman." The fox observed.

"No, she's not." The hedgehog told him. But he felt terrible. She hated him… and loved him. The hedgehog moaned. He wasn't going to listen to the fox right now. So he decided to turn the tables.

"What about you, tramp?" The hedgehog glared at him. "You have your own problems."

"That has nothing to do with you." Richard returned the glare.

"Perhaps, but I'm sure _your _woman won't like it when she finds out what you're hiding."

"She has enough worries as it is." Richard pointed out. "Meanwhile you and Cinnamon are a worry for us all. You know we leave soon. I expect you not only to behave around the wolf, but around her as well."

"Don't worry about me." Sonic growled at him. "Tramp."

"Don't call me that." The fox ordered him.

"But that's what you are. You and your sister, before she—"

"Don't speak of my sister." Richard warned him. Something in his tone bit into Sonic. He had offended enough people today.

"I'm sorry." The hedgehog apologized. Richard's gaze slightly softened, but not much.

"I'm going to get back to Violet." The fox looked at him carefully. "I don't know what you learned about all of us secretly, but whatever you know about me, keep to yourself, hedgehog."

With that he walked off, leaving Sonic the hedgehog wondering who he had left to listen to. Then again, there were always the lovely young village vixens to speak to… although he grimaced to what possible anger Cinnamon would feel if she saw him there after her outburst…

**(Hellebore)**

"Are… are we going to train out here, Seer?" Violet asked shyly as the Seer lead her out farther into the forest.

"_Train?"_ The Seer asked. _"No, you have built the foundation. It is up to you to expand it."_

"But Seer, this is our last chance for me to improve my abilities."

"_It is also the last day for you to learn something new."_

"A new ability?" Violet asked eagerly.

"_No, anyone can accomplish this feat… if they are daring enough."_

Violet sighed under her breath, disappointed. The Seer did not miss the dissatisfaction from her sigh.

"_Trust me, girl. You will not regret learning this."_

They suddenly stopped, and Violet looked around. It seemed a normal enough place. _"This is it."_ The Seer told her.

"Why here?" Violet asked, confused.

"_Look on the ground."_ The Seer instructed her.

She glanced on the ground, catching the eye of several flowers. Some seemed very familiar…

"_This is where I grow my flowers."_ The Seer told her. _"I was a gardener. My favorites were the hellebore of course, even more so than the rose. I knew the tragic story, the legends of revival, of death and love."_

Violet's eyes stopped on one particular flower that looked very much like the one the Seer had shown in her vision. It looked so lonely, wet from the afternoon sprinkle, a rain drop slipping gently off a white petal. The eager seedrian-vixen inched closer, but the Seer's thoughts then boomed through her head. _"Don't touch it! I can't believe you haven't figured out that's highly toxic. Didn't your mother teach you about that species of hellebore?"_

Violet peered at It more carefully. That wasn't some special daisy as she had thought. That was Helleborus Niger. The Christmas rose, the rose that had helped the Seer perform…

"Du-tel Amor…" She whispered, in awe and with fear.

"_Yes, and you may never touch that flower."_ The Seer warned her. "Your heart is burdened by too much, your love is too spread out. If you performed Du-tel amor, you would not survive as I did."

"It's how the curse started." Violet remembered.

"_It is how it will end."_ The Seer stated to her in Violet's mind. "_But you are not the one to perform Du-tel amor. No, that is reserved for someone else, who doesn't realize how one little contribution will risk the entire world's fall or rise…"_ She suddenly stopped. Violet looked at her curiously.

"Well, what is the rest?" She asked, eagerly. "Who ends our curse?"

The Seer turned to her. _"That does not happen very often."_ She said out loud, making Violet flinch from the pouring of emotion. _"I am sorry, I do not know anything else of what I was about to say next. But we are not here to watch me have a vision, or ponder the beauty and toxicity of the Helloborus Niger. I came to show you how to use the other hellebore. They are common here, but I warn you, never touch the Christmas rose. It will fail you on any endeavor but Du-tel Amor, and Du-tel Amor will fail you."_

_She turned to gaze on a particular flower. "But Helleborus Foetidus. She is usefull. Toxic as others, but if handled correctly, can work as a great healing ointment. Yet tell me, how much do you know of your mother's abilities?"_

"My mothers abilities?" Violet asked, confused.

"_I have heard legends about the Seedrians. The plants love them, trees sing to them. But they are quite resistant against some posions, or so legend says.I highly doubt one would survive the Helleborus Niger's wrath without being rushed to the hospital."_

"Well, I don't know if that's true or not…" Violet answered.

"_Then you better be careful when handling Helleborus Foetidus. To someone of the species of a human, it may merely cause dementia. But for you and I, it could temporarily paralyze, making you quite vulnerable. You'll need special gloves to handle it, and keep it out of your system when handling it at all times."_

"I understand, Seer." Violet confirmed.

The Seer then demonstrated to the seedrian-vixen how to use it, putting on her gloves, and then carefully crushing the petals on her teeth, being sure to have water nearby to help keep the toxic out of her system. _"Then, any flower will do. Mind if I use one of your violets."_

"_You can't take them out."_ Violet informed her. _"They grown within my skull."_

"_Just like your mother then. But I don't need the whole thing, girl. Just the nectar."_

Violet nodded her head, and winced as she felt the vixen cut and remove the top part of the Violet, carefully meshing it with the hellebore. _"Now you have a powerful healing ointment. " She told her, handing her a bag of special gloves with a small bottle of water. "Be careful, girl. If you're ever in a rush…"_

"I'll be careful Seer."

The Seer nodded. She then embraced Violet. "_You are my descendant Violet , my daughter with many, many greats in front of it. You are ready."_

"I don't feel too ready." Violet admitted.

"Your heart is frightened, your mind unsatisfied. But only you can satisfy yourself and break away from fear." The Seer said out loud. And surprisingly, for Violet, the typical emotion surge did not get her.

"Goodbye, descendant." This time, Violet did feel it, and it was strong indeed.

"Goodbye, ancestor." Violet answered, and the Seer and Violet parted.

The Seer stopped after a while, when she came near her hut. "You were right. The seedrian-fox is ready." Someone said nearby.

"She is not ready yet, XT-421." The Seer corrected. "But when the moment comes, she _will_ be ready. She will be the greatest Prower of all, and it will all start when she ends this siege."


	18. Trouble and Dolente

Troubles and Dolente

The sky was dark, raindrops crashing to the ground in the cold air like glass tears. Two guards had their heads down as the company approached the gate. The queen whispered something silently to Shadow, and the hedgehog nodded as he bowed quietly. Everyone stood alone, and even the wolf away from his master, silently looking up at the graying, stormy darkening skies.

He glanced at Sonic Jr., who was looking at the ground. When he saw him glance at him, he glared at him harshly, a look of hatred. It aroused from misunderstanding, and it would end that way. His eyes then turned to Cinnamon, who glanced at the queen, but caught her moving her sad eyes to glance at the hedgehog.

Only Sarah had a smile. It was a pretty smile, but it was discouraged as she soon saw her companions saw nothing to smile about. Violet was hugging herself with the arms as the raindrops slid from her skin on the ground, shivering. And Richard had an anguished look on his face….but the wolf did not know why. .. it was like grief, but he had not lost anyone. Violet noticed this and grabbed his hand, looking at him searchingly, but the fox wouldn't look back, and it wasn't the time.

"Come." Shadow said to them, as the wooden gate opened, the guards pulling onto the chains. The sun had not rise, and they would not see it that morning. Their scouts and guides, Tsunami and Olivia, exchanged one quick word with the queen, and then the couple took the lead as Shadow followed. The wolf noted the brisk pace Shadow was getting the scouts to take. His master had waited long enough.

He wanted Balthazar dead, and he wanted it to happen tonight.

(Hellebore)

Tails practically leaped out of the underground, as he saw Knuckles panting, having recently dug to the surface. "So now that thing has to work." Knuckles groaned, as the fox looked victoriously at his sonar.

"Shut it, knuckles." Amy snapped at him. "Tails, this thing better get me to my dear son fast! He could be dying out here."

"Relax Amy, don't worry so much." Sonic (Sr.) soothed her. "The fact that the sonar picked them up probably means they can handle themselves.

"Why is there one dot?" Cosmo asked, peering at the sonar.

"I'm guessing they've all met up together, and are trying to get back home." Tails theorized.

"But what if that's just one of them."

"The sonar would still pick them up, and it hasn't been long enough for them to decay to a point the sonar can't pick them up." Tails replied, highly aware of what Cosmo's tone suggested.

"Are you sure?" Cosmo asked, squeezing his hand.

"Positive."

"Where are they going?" Knuckles asked him. "They're not going home."

"Once we find them, we'll get the answers." Tails said. "Come on."

None of the five noticed two confident, reassured, battered beings follow them stealthily, sneaking quietly through nature's foliage.

(Hellebore)

Richard has seen too much.

The rain battered on them, and they had hardly been moving, but Richard was exhausted. The weight he bore was too much; everything he had seen was replaying itself over and over again. He should never have visited the Seer…

Violet had been trying to understand him all morning, but there had been no time to talk, and Shadow had shown no intent on slowing down. He could feel her frustration, but he only held on to her hand as he briskly followed them. Eventually he let go and up ahead, knew that she would be asking questions the moment they stopped.

He prayed she would not.

_Richard waited silently by the Seer's hut, waiting patiently for Violet to come out. He was sitting against a nearby tree, looking up at the stars._

_ It was like looking into Violet's eyes, so captivating, it filled his mind with wonder. But it did not pull at his heart like her eyes could, like a vortex luring in his passion and desires, his brain barely able and completely unwilling to resist it…_

_ His blinked opened his eyes as he heard a twig snap nearby. Had he fallen asleep? What had taken her so long?_

_ He peered up to look at the three tailed fox that Violet had told him was the Seer. Her face was wrinkled, staring past him. But she did not advance past him, and Richard knew that she was aware of his presence._

_ "Come inside." She heard a thought in his head. "Do not be afraid. It is more pleasant if I speak to you like this."_

_ Richard understood. She was using thought-speech. Violet had told him of the anguish her talking voice filled those who listened to it. He perched up from his position, as the Seer began to walk ahead into her hut. "Where's Violet?" He asked her._

_ "She is probably sleeping. We did not train here. Do not worry about that." Richard hesitated, but then made up his mind and followed the Seer._

_ The hut was completely dark. He couldn't even see the Seer, until a dim candle was lit, revealing only the Seer's eyes and part of her face and neck. Richard's hands barely received a hint of light._

_"Why did you ask me to follow you?" Richard asked her._

_"It was in the fates." The Seer simply stated."But why? My visions have not revealed that._

_ Richard felt anguish sink into him. "I do not want to know my future…"_

_ "Even if knowing could make a difference?" The Seer raised an eye. "You are like the wolf, afraid, so afraid. But you are not from here, nor descended from here. You descended from the polar regions, although we all are the same in the end… simply nonexistent." She stopped, examining herself. "Except for me…"_

_ She then let out a moan, and then not even if he had remembered Violet's warning would he have been prepared for the anguish that sank into his mind, like a widow meditating on her husband's death, as hail slammed into the icy air, enhancing pain in the physical realm as the emotional realm burned her inside. _

_ "I… I think I better leave." Richard said to her. He then turned around, and noticed there was no door._

_ "I did not have you come in here for no reason. Something must be revealed."_

_ Richard looked at her anxiously. "I do not want to know my future…"_

_ "It is not your future… but your past…" The Seer revealed. "It bleeds out of your heart. Guilt. A secret, something you are hiding. And it is this alone that is giving me insight beyond." Something terrible seemed to overtake the Seer. Her eyes grew wide and frightened and she reached for Richard to grab her hand. "Please!" She said out loud. "You… take it, do not let me bear these sights alone!"_

_The anguish was unbearable, like a mountain of grief striking and destroying every other emotion inside instantaneously. Richard reached for her hand…_

"Move it, fox." He heard Shadow shout, snapping him out of his thoughts. "We must move quickly, if a scout spots us, we must be faster."

"Don't worry." Tsunami told him. We'll be near a lake soon."

"Water?" Sonic Jr. said fearfully.

"There's a bridge, well hidden by leaves." Olivia said. "Tsunami will make sure the water's okay, and we'll go across the bridge."

Violet suddenly sank back into the group, and reached for Richard's hands. When they reached the lake, Tsunami signaled Olivia and Shadow over for a quick talk of movement, while Sonic Jr., and Cinnamon glared at each other, while the wolf plainly scanned back and forth from the two groups. Richard just took a glance at Violet's eyes to see what she would ask next.

"What's the matter Richard?" She said with great concern. "You've looked terrible all day…"

Richard was quite for a moment. He should never have grabbed that hand. "I'm tired, that's all." He hesitated, as he saw that Violet wasn't convinced. "I had a nightmare… about Pitney." He lied.

Violet was hushed, and then looked at him with brimming confidence. "I'm still here, and that pig is who knows where away from us. Besides, I have you to protect me." She quickly kissed him as Shadow yelled at them all to get going. She then moved forward, and Richard gave her a quick reassuring smile, but it dissipated as soon as he looked away.

No, he couldn't protect her. He had none of the abilities anyone else did, of the whole group, he felt useless. If a regiment of Balthazar attacked them, what could he really do? He had a blaster on him, thanks to Queen Selina's armory, but he was no good shot.

He should never have reached for that hand.

_Richard was watching it all over again. His sister. His father s complaining about her again, berating her. Useless. So much abuse… his father drinking, throwing a rampage. His mother protecting Richard, but in regards to Valerie, was running out of ways to defend her without getting hurt herself. So she just watched, becoming cold. Eventually, she didn't even bat an eye._

_ Then it moved so fast, to another dark scene. One day their mother didn't come home. Father was sitting on the couch drinking as everyone watched. He didn't glare at Valerie coldly, or Richard. He didn't look at anyone._

_Richard remembered smelling fire later that night hot flames licking at the walls. He awoke with a start, instinctively flying into his sister's room. As he passed through the hallway, he noticed the flames were emerging from his father's bedroom. What had he done?_

_ He didn't have much time. He awoke her sister, and ordered her to go out the wall. To his great surprise, she didn't ask questions, she only blinked, and then opened the window carefully jumping down from the second story. Richard followed after her, slamming the ground with his legs as he instinctively perched down his hands for support. He looked at Valerie, but she was emotionless. She of course did not look at him, she didn't look at anyone. She said nothing, but merely began walking away. "Valerie, where are you going?"_

_But she didn't reply… she almost never replied…_

_ … "And so you left." The Seer whispered quietly. "And so you entered into a perilous destiny."_

_ "We should have stayed." Richard said quietly. "Then it would never have happened. She'd still be here."_

_ "With you?" The Seer asked. Richard nodded. "No, her path was made to different. The fates separated you so she could forge her destiny alone…"_

_ "She's dead. Was that her destiny?" Richard said harshly._

_ "Really?" The Seer raised a solemn eye. "It seems you are misinformed."_

_ "What?" Richard stared at her in shock._

_ "She's alive. That incident with the mugger was not her end. Destiny let her go."_

_ "She's alive?" Richard asked. "But where is she?"_

_ "I cannot tell you that." Richard slammed his hand down in frustration. "But there is perhaps one way we can learn this answer." She looked at Richard with almost eager eyes._

_ "Why do you want to know my future so much?" Richard demanded._

_ "When you've been cursed for a thousand years, you'll want to lessen the load of memories." She retorted coldly. _

_ And so Richard reached for that hand a second time._

_ He should never have reached for it…_

_ He was shrouded in mist. The Seer stood next to him softly. Richard did not take interest in what was going on like Violet did. He patiently waited as the Seer conjured up an image from her mind._

_ "Valerie…" Richard whispered. _

_ She seemed to be in some sort of… sealed room. Her beautiful sky blue eyes looked at the ceiling with anguish as the cold AC blew against her perfectly white fox fur. But then the view moved away from her, towards himself… as he was exchanging harsh words with someone. He couldn't hear himself, but as he glanced at the people around him… they were all doctors, doctors… or very odd creatures. Creatures that muttered to themselves, shaking hands, or being grabbed by doctors as they wailed something he couldn't hear…_

_ It then shifted suddenly… He was standing in front of his mother's grave. It was still there… Richard felt himself shed a few tears. The sky was growing darker…_

_ He was inside somewhere now. He was looking across to see Shadow glaring triumphantly at Tails, while the fox himself looked completely beside himself, pointing some weapon mechanisms at him with deadly intent. And around him… his friends… his dead or dying friends… Sonic Jr. was lying against the wall… Sarah was limbless, and Violet… Violet was on the ground, gashed, battered, her clothes torn all over the place._

_ This was a nightmare. Richard couldn't look anymore. He covered his eyes…_

_ It seemed forever before he opened them again. When he opened them he wasn't in the hut anymore. He was in his room. Had it all been a dream?_

_ "Remember…" A solemn voice crept into his mind. "Nothing is set into stone…"_

Richard finally snapped himself out of his thoughts. If only she hadn't said that last comment, he might have slept it off. But knowing all your friends would die was in no way reassuring. Knowing you would most likely die afterwards was hardly reassuring.

Knowing your sister was alive after all this time should have made him a bit happier, but he couldn't be. He knew where she was: In a psychiatric hospital. Where his father always told her she was doomed to be. Darn him. He hoped his father rotted in the underworld.

He looked around at his companions. He was straggling behind a bit, he knew, but Shadow had long decided not to slow down, and Richard had decided to match his speed, but not catch up either. He wanted to be alone.

Time passed quickly it seemed, and it was quiet among the group. Only Sarah tried to strike up conversation with the wolf, it never worked. The wolf simply glanced at her, and whatever words the raccoon had left came into very embarrassed mumbled. The wolf would then sigh and then mutter something to him.

The whole time was agony. Richard had seen a lot, didn't know what was fact and what was only theory. If nothing was set into stone… but that couldn't work for everything, he knew. If his sister was proven to be alive in a vision, then she had to be alive now. And if… if Violet had been killed by someone in the future, then surely the attack would occur. Only the death wasn't certain.

Richard cursed under his breath. This certainly wasn't something he wanted to discuss with his girlfriend at all. He'd been hiding enough from her as it is.

He looked up as he bumped into the wolf, who glared at him, annoyed. "We're stopping now."

"We are?" Richard asked, hardly aware that the sky was dark, as he noticed the wolf sigh, lifting the torch in his hand to light it.

"You think a lot, don't you, fox?" The wolf stated. "It keeps the fear out of you when you reason it out." Richard had no reply. "We're very close to Balthazar. Shadow, I and…" The wolf smirked as he paused. "Sonic's son… we are going to analyze the outskirts."

"She's close…" Shadow said out loud. "Damn, we should have killed her long before this."

"Master?" The wolf asked.

"Cut off the flame from your torch." Shadow ordered him softly. "She's got scouts out." The wolf cut the flame and looked back to his master… but he was already gone.

"Sonic Jr!" Cinnamon yelled, as the hedgehog raced after him. "That idiot!"

"It's probably for the better." The wolf said. "He will need aid stopping the scouts from reporting our position to the enemy." He grabbed her arm as she moved to follow him. "You, however, will not be able to do anything. Think logically, doesn't let your emotions put us in jeopardy."

Cinnamon looked at him angrily, and then slapped her hands against her sides, fuming to herself. The wolf sat down next to a tree, as Sarah followed him several safe paces away, shyly.

"Something doesn't seem right…" Tsunami said, his eyes looking at the trees.

Violet, Richard, and Olivia looked at him anxiously. "What do you mean?" Richard asked him. "Nothing seems atypical."

"I have a really bad feeling something bad is going to happen to us…" Tsunami shivered.

"Oh, don't think like that honey!" Olivia prattled to him.

"I'm not thinking it." Tsunami simply replied. "I'm feeling it."

"Is he always like…" Richard began, as he felt something crash into his head, sending him sprawling into the ground. He rolled to the left just in time as a spear was driven into the earth.

He looked up slowly, noticing his attacker, a very strange three-armed creature with a bird's beak and a cat's body, the hands razor sharp talons. He snickered as he readied his second spear to throw…


	19. Divide and Conquer

**Divide and Conquer**

The wolf had barely managed to save his own skin as he noticed warriors coming out from the fauna. He quickly yelled toward Tsunami and Olivia. "Get out of here!" He ordered them. They were refugee scouts, not fighters. The two didn't need a second telling. He quickly jabbed an incoming man from behind him as he grabbed his stomach, then sent a rolling kick toward his face to send him flying into the ground.

He tried to warn Sarah to run next, hoping she already had, but she was facing her fighters, as they were cornering her to the wall. He could never get to her in time, and she was no fighter.

"Say goodbye, little Raccoon…" One of the men snickered, before the wolf heard him give a terrible scream. He and everyone around him was practically enflamed from an explosion, those sitting on top of it sent flying, shrapnel flying into people's feet. The Raccoon herself smiled as she grabbed another explosive device… from her belt. The wolf would have laughed if he wasn't dodging a kick right then. He grabbed the leg in the air and spun his opponent to the mat, giving him a good punch in the face.

He looked for Violet and Richard, and they too, were gone. He quickly moved behind Sarah to watch her back as more approached. "Got a plan?" He asked the raccoon, who seemed to be waiting for the enemy to make a move.

"Jump to the left when they charged." The wolf looked at her incredulously, as he noticed them suddenly break into a run towards them, blades and blasters drawn. The wolf and the raccoon dove into the bushes, and as soon as they crashed into the debris, he noticed the raccoon press a button.

BOOM! Cries were heard everywhere as soldiers were knocked off their feet, several backing away, others looking carefully on the ground, as a second explosion occurred.

The wolf looked at her. "How in the world did you do that?"

She blushed. "I was always good at blowing things up. I mean, first it was food, since I was terrible at cooking. But then I began to find all sorts of ways to trigger explosions. It became a hobby, kind of like…"

"Alright, that's enough." The wolf sighed, not interested in a long story. "We need to find my master and everyone else. I have a bad feeling that he's charged ahead again."

"What about the others?"

The wolf grimaced. He turned to her. "You'll have to find them. I must track my master."

"Are you sure?"

"I trust you." The wolf assured her. Sarah blushed and gave him a thankful smile, but he didn't return it as he disappeared into the forest.

The raccoon looked around here. "I shouldn't have blown them all up!" She cried. "Now I can't ask them to help find my friends?"

(Hellebore)

Richard just managed to avoid the spear, but it deeply grazed his shoulder, and his arm instantly went to feel the cut on it.

"Richard!" Violet cried, instanteously teleporting protectively in front of him as the creature pulled out a scimitar from his side. He laughed greatly.

"You are only children!" The creature cried. "What qualm do you have against us?"

"You attacked the Fox Kingdom." Richard charged him, not to mention me.

"Some of us did attack, yes, out of vengeance and greed." He admitted. "But what prisoner wouldn't get some vengeance out of their prison guards. Balthazar is too ambitious for her own good; she does not realize she should defend what she has here…"

"I won't let you escape from here." Richard told him. Violet held him back.

"Greed?" She inquired the creature.

"What, do you think we'd just attack the kingdom without supplies or money?" The creature smirked. "We're being paid to do this!"

"Who's paying you?"

"That's not for you to know." The three armed creature retorted. "Now, get out of here before…"

But Richard had already charged, and the creature reacted without a second thought as he slashed out at Richard, while swinging to kick him hard against the face. When he fell to the ground, Violet screamed as she saw a bloody gash on his entire front of his upper body. Richard fell on his knees, as the creature readied himself for a final swing…

(Hellebore)

Sonic Jr. saw Shadow pound through the guards, mercilessly destroying them with chaos control, his fists, or throwing them up in the air, to come crashing down to a rather shattering end. The hedgehog looked at one victim, a cheetah, sprawled on the ground, who looked at him in despair. "Betrayed…" Sonic heard him whisper silently. His arm to push him up, but the energy seeped out of him, and he collapsed, dead.

"What's going on?" The hedgehog asked. Shadow hadn't left to stop the scouts from reporting his position. He was going straight after her with vengeance, destroying everything. He picked up speed to follow the black hedgehog's bloody trial.

He arrived around a completely destroyed camp. To his horror, one body was that of a small child, a mother hovering just below. He sighed in relief, as the child suddenly opened its eyes in terror as he gazed down at him.

"This isn't right…" The hedgehog whispered. "Something about this doesn't make sense…"

He turned suddenly as he heard steps behind him. The nameless wolf suddenly appeared behind him, but Sonic Jr. did not relax. "What's going on?"

"My master is exacting revenge." The wolf informed him.

"This looks like a normal encampment. Why are they being punished?" The hedgehog demanded.

The wolf looked about, unaffected by what he saw. "He must have her."

"At the cost of this?"

The wolf ignored him, and continued moving. The hedgehog silently cursed to himself and began following him. What was going on?

(Hellebore)

The scimitar swung at Richard's throat, and the creature was shocked as he connected against air, his eyes noticing a split second later his body collapsing to the ground as Violet caught him. His blade had blood, but it had not slice his neck. Violet noticed a slight cut on the fox's throat, and she immediately sent a tender hand to tend to the bleeding as Richard groaned in pain, barely conscious.

She looked behind her, the summit of the mountain they were on majestically looking down at her, while his blood slowly flowed to the ground. She looked in horror as his eyes closed…

The nightmare… the vision had become reality.

In fury, Violet sent a twig flying at the three-armed mutant, which cut against his arm. The creature was surprised, but laughed as she sent more, twirling his scimitar to neatly slice the twigs in half. A nearby rock soared at him next, but he merely grabbed it in his hands and crushed it.

Violet glared at the three-armed mutant, the man of her nightmares, as she held Richard's body close to her. None of her abilities seemed to be able to stop him. She couldn't focus much on a plan; she was too worried about Richard, even though her emotions were everywhere.

"Painful, isn't it?" He asked coldly. "Separating lovers. Imagine the pain Balthazar felt when she was stuck in a prison by that bastard fox."

Violet thought hard as the creature circled around her. She knew he was referring to her father… There was nothing but trees around them. No one would hear her die…

_"Your mother saved my neck more than once with her ability to communicate with nature."_ Tails had said to her once with a smile on her face, holding hands with his beloved wife_. "Technology may look intimidating and fearsome, but mother nature will always control the world, the solar system, and the fate of every living race."_

Didn't the Seer remind her that when her own abilities failed her, to use her natural ones from her mother?

Now she just needed to buy enough time… and of course, convince the plants she was worth saving…

"I am out of patience," The three-armed creature continued, smirking as he examined Richard's eyes suddenly opening, his legs struggling to stand. "Surely you must have been set by him to finish the job he started. But I must ask… how did you know where to find us?"

Violet ignored him, instead focusing on projecting her thoughts to a pine tree, its branches just above the three-armed monster's head. "_Please, lovely tree, I humbly request your aid. My lover and I are in trouble from these monstrosity. We promise to not harm your forest, and grant you protection from those who do."_

_"I will not have affairs in the work of humans."_ The tree spoke back to her.

Violet felt reassured and anxious. At least the tree was willing to speak.

_"If you do not, the group these monster comes form will destroy your homes with the destruction they cause. But if you help us, I will make sure no trees are harmed here, now or later."_

"Answer me, whelp!" The creature stepped forward. Violet begged the tree to respond, but it was silent. The creature smiled. "Coward." He said, raising his blade. "Now I kill you!"

But he never got a chance. Suddenly, a branch came from behind him, slamming against him hard with his branch. Instincitvely he moved his scimitar in a slashing motion, but Violet had already sent a rock straight on his head, knocking him down to the ground. As the creature struggled to rise, he then noticed roots restricting him to the ground.

_"Thank you." Violet spoke to the tree. _She then glared at the creature.

"You should be punished for what you've done." Violet muttered as she glared at the three-armed creature.

"Well, kill me then." The creature spat at her. "You misjudge us. We were released by someone, we took advantage of it."

"So Balthazar releases you and you see fit to try to conquer again?"

"No… we don't know who freed us, and heck I didn't even want a part of her plan. Whoever gave us a contract to attack the fox kingdom… and there was huge number of us. And they are the ones responsible for our imprisonment."

"What?" Violet asked, bewildered. "Someone asked you to attack the kingdom, and freed you?"

"I told her it was a bad idea, probably a trap, but she fell for it." The creature looked up at her. "So, are you going to kill me or not?"

"No." Violet told him, looking back at Richard, still struggling to stand. "You're not worth killing."

"Coward!" The creature ranted. "You're just a weak little b…" But he never finished, stopping as he saw a root come swinging down to swing at his face, knocking him out cold.

Violet ran to Richard as he struggled to stand again, beginning to collapse on his knees as Violet moved in to support him, laying him gently on the ground.

"Violet… find somewhere safe…" Richard whispered. "… Get out of here."

"No." The Half-seedrian said firmly. "This isn't your last place. I'm not letting the vision come true!"

Richard turned to her sadly. "You saw my death?"

"I didn't see your death; I just saw your blood spill." Violet responded. "You're not dying here."

Richard tried to reach a hand up to stroke her, it fell short, but Violet gently grabbed it and pulled it to her face. "Not today." She said firmly.

"Do you have a plan, then?" He asked, although she couldn't tell if he was trying to prove a point or be hopeful. She hesitated. She had nothing, her medical experience could only delay the inevitable. She had nothing… tears spread down her eyes. She could not spend her last hour with Richard like this! She had wanted to spend a Halloween with him, or at least a Christmas, kissing him under the mistletoe, as the Christmas roses shined gently in the…

The Christmas rose… Hellebores… Violet remembered seeing some Helelbores here!

Violet quickly grabbed a nearby leaf, and tried to apply pressure to his neck wound, the most serious. "Don't you die on me until I get back!" Violet cried, before disappearing within a blink of an eye.


	20. Hellebore

**Hellebore**

**A/N: Special thanks to White Keyblade Oathkeeper, Charles T. Servant, and Galaxia the Chao for their reviews and continued reading and feedback. Thanks to Twilitbeing for the commentary. Always open to criticism, folks.**

Tsunami and Olivia, neither the accomplished fighter, sighed as they lost their followers within the trees, hiding in a bush. The sea fox was gently clutching his lover's hand as she frighteningly shook within the trees. He may believe in bad luck, but Tsunami knew when he had to be the brave knight.

"There's no point continuing hiding." Tsunami said. "Let's stay away from clearings." He gazed intently into her eyes. "I'll protect you."

"I know." Olivia replied, smiling at him gently. He then turned and began dodging through the trees and the bushes, taking cover constantly, although Tsunami's ears could catch nothing. He looked all around him as the two began to make their way back. When they were certain they arrived back at their spot, they were surprised to see no one.

"At least it's clear…" Tsunami began, before he felt a sharp pain on his forehead, and then a sharp jab in his back. The four tailed fox fell to the ground, clutching for his breath, as Olivia screamed in terror.

"My, my, who the heck are these two?" A lioness asked. "Friends of hers, you think?"

"I don't care what they are…" A rather fearsome looking pig growled, who grabbed Tsunami by the collar bone. "I'm tired of searching for her! She's near!"

"Patience, Pitney." The lioness cautioned him calmly. "They certainly look like they could be friends of hers. They'll probably have what we're looking for."

"Where's your friend, you little monster?" The pig demanded, shaking the fox.

Tsunami gulped. "W-w-w-e-e-e j-j-j-u-s-t-t-t l-o-s-s-s-t h-e-e-r…" The fox stuttered so nervously that the pig could barely hear him.

"Bah, you're useless." The pig snarled as he threw the fox away from him, sending him sprawling onto the ground. He then turned toward Olivia, who was about to help Tsunami, when his sheer gaze froze her feet to the ground. "Hmm, this isn't a pretty bad snack before we set out after that brat, eh?"

"Oh, I'm not tasty at all!" Olivia cried desperately. "I taste like garlic, if you must know."

"She's an idiot." Kauri sighed. "Do as you will Pitney, but don't take too long. I'm starting to get impatient…"

"Oh, please, we've done nothing to you!" Olivia cried again, as Pitney began approaching her, and she began backing up. The pig was incredibly fast, and Olivia screamed as Pitney triumphantly surrounded her by a trunk. She quickly tried to get away, but his arm reached out and grabbed her slim figure, brining her back in front of him as she felt a hard fist in her face.

"Stay quiet and this might actually be pleasing…" The pig laughed, carefully suppressing her so she couldn't reach out with her legs, his hands lustily reaching for her body.

"Don't touch her!" Tsunami ran to get up as Kauri tried to stop him. The fox's tails defeated him, the lioness stepped on one as the fox squealed in pain, but then saved him as the panther felt three of them tap into her face, and then a wild kick send her crashing backwards.

He moved to punch Pitney, but the pig only sneered as he grabbed his fist with one hand and began to squeeze it hard. "Give up, whelp!" He grunted. "You're wasting our time."

They didn't hear the sound until a second later, as Pitney was practically slammed into by a blue blur, sending him nearly colliding into Kauri. He quickly rose in rage, but instantly grew frightened as he saw Sonic the Hedgehog (Sr.) shaking his finger at him.

"Naughty, naughty." The hedgehog shook his head. "I think it's time to lock you up."

"Damn you, hedgehog." The pig growled. "Always stopping my fun."

"We're no match for him." Kauri warned him. She then grew fearful as well, as she noticed a red echidna appear underneath the ground just next to the hedgehog, and a fox fly down on his other side.

"Where's Violet?" Tails glared at her, moving towards them with dangerous intentions.

"Ar-r-re you her-r-r father-r-r?" Tsunami stuttered. Tails whirled around, not having noticed the blue fox. He shivered, but regained control of his voice "We were traveling with her, with Shadow and all, in the service of Queen Selina."

"Shadow…" Sonic whispered, walking over to the two of them with Knuckles.

"Selina?" The fox asked, surprised. ''Where is Violet then?"

"We got attacked, and separated." Tsunami informed him. "Olivia and I were just going back for them here, where they ambushed us, when these guys came up and started…" Tsunami didn't finish, as Olivia stood behind him, clutching at him roughly.

"Well, then they're going to…" Tails began, as he noticed that both Kauri and Pitney were gone. "Sonic!" The fox alerted the hedgehog, who was giving Tsunami and Olivia a once over for bruises and wounds. "They've left! Can you go after them?"

Sonic shook his head. "They're not worth the trouble. We need to find Violet, and I want to know what Shadow's doing here."

"She's close." Tsunami assured Tails. "Olivia can find them, she's good at tracking." He looked at her worriedly, but the rabbit gave him a reassuring smile.

"From what I know of Violet, if she's gone somewhere, it would have been left."

"How in the heck do you know that so fast?" Knuckles asked incredulously.

"Um… her footprints." Olivia modestly replied.

"Let's go." Sonic told them. "Tails, alert Amy and Cosmo of our coordinates."

"This would be so much easier if we hadn't accidentally destroyed our scanners from tripping into the lake." Sonic groaned.

"I'll make them water resistant next time." Tails reassured him.

"No time for blabbing, let's get moving!" Knuckles growled. Tails nodded. He would find his daughter…

(Jump)

Violet was extremely surprised from who she saw when she teleported: Sarah, who just simply smiled when Violet appeared in front of her. "Oh, hello Violet. Finally, I've found some…"

"No time!" Violet cut her off, lunging for one of the hellebores of the ground, and carefully pulling it by the roots.

"What are you doing?" The raccoon asked, confused.

Violet waited until she removed another one to respond. "Look, Sarah. I think Richard is in that direction, just keep walking. He's really injured, and I need someone to make sure his wounds are alright. You know how to deal with basic first aid, right?" The raccoon nodded. "I'm counting on you, Sarah."

"I'll be there in a jiffy." The raccon reassured you. "I won't…"

But Violet had already teleported back to Richard. It was almost dizzying, but it wasn't the teleporting, it was the sight of his blood, of Richard's eyelids opening and closing. She rushed toward him.

"So this is what death is like." Richard whispered, not noticing her presence yet. "Long, painful, and lonely…"

"Richard!" Violet cried, the arctic fox trying to move his head to look at her face. "Richard, you have to hang in there." Violet pleaded. "At least for your parents…"

Richard winced with pain. "Violet… I don't have… any living parents…"

"Richard, what are you talking about?"

"My parents… they're dead, as I will be soon…" The fox tried to reach for her again, but he couldn't even move his arms. Violet took the hellebores in her hand and stuffed them in her mouth

"Violet…" Richard whispered. "What are you doing?"

Violet gnawed on the hellebores inside her mouth, and then spat it out, pouring some of their nectar of her own violets on her hand; mixed in with leaf and petal "I'm trying to save your life."

"Violet, Hellebores are poisonous!" He tried to cry out, but came out only as a whisper. "You could kill us both."

No, Cosmo had hellebores in her garden, didn't she? Her mother loved them. Deadly… but could save, if you wanted them to. You just had to handle them… delicately. This was the only way. The Seer knew this. But was she skilled enough?

Carefully, desperately, she applied the self-made ointment, combined with hellebore and violet, on Richard's wounds. She looked at them carefully, watching as the leaves held in the blood, the hellebore's ointment quickly tended the wound as minutes went by. She studied his face, which didn't seem to show any change. She felt like losing hope, until Richard suddenly looked up at her, and smiled. "I feel better already."

Violet beamed at him, about to embrace him, but then cringed as she felt her left hand. Suddenly, it wasn't bending as much.

"Violet… what's wrong?" Richard asked, concerned.

"Don't worry, Richard." Violet said. "Just… losing control of my left hand."

"DON'T WORRY?!" Richard cried, shocked. "Violet, if you don't get help, you'll die!"

The fox looked away from him. "I've got to get to Balthazar. I've got to stop her, before I run out of time." She looked at Richard. "I've told Sarah to come your way already. I think I know where she is… Shadow was running to the top of the mountain, and he needs me… there must be something up there that he needs me for…"

"Did you teleport without me even noticing?" Richard asked, shocked that she had just left to get some hellebores without him noticing

Violet smiled, giving him a quick peck on the cheek, as she then looked towards Richard. "Don't worry, I…" Violet then looked as her right hand, too would barely respond to her commands. Richard looked at her with anguish, but Violet just pulled away, and teleported.

Richard looked at her, and prayed silently. "I hope you didn't save me only to kill yourself…"

(Hellebore)

Sonic (Jr.) could not believe how dead it was up here, but how so much life was below them. The trees were small, grass outlining the foothills. But here, at the summit, it was rock, jagged rock, bumpy, lifeless rock. Maybe a patch of grass, but when it snowed, that grass wouldn't be there.

"Over there…" The wolf whispered. "There's my master… and the prison entrance."

Sonic Jr. looked at the entrance, a hole very much like a cave, but shielded by what looked like solid blue glass. Shadow was trying to destroy it with chaos control, but from what Sonic saw… he was having no luck.

"The lioness must be in there." The wolf told him, as they walked toward his master.

"How do you get inside?" Sonic Jr. asked the wolf.

"It has to be opened up inside." The wolf told them, and only by a key. It was made that way in case of a revolt; the soldiers could destroy the key, locking everyone inside permanently. But she has the key, and she is using it to protect herself."

"Then this was all a waste of time." Sonic snarled at him.

"Of course for you, it is." The wolf admitted, as the hedgehog glared at him. "But for my maser, these is everything, and that is why he brought Violet with him. You'd probably be a good help if you went and found her for us and brought her up here safely."

"Why don't you do that?" Sonic demanded. "You're Shadow's henchman after all, you do the grunt work."

The wolf sighed, but then looked up with pleasant surprise as Violet teleported right behind Sonic Jr., who turned around and elbowed her in the face, causing her to recoil and reach for her face, or try to, her wrists failing to bend enough.

"It's me, Sonic!" Violet cried.

"This is quite pleasant." The wolf stated.

"I'm sorry, Violet." Sonic Jr. told her, quickly scanning her nose for injury.

"Don't worry, I'm alright." She said dismissively, not wanting him to realize that she couldn't move her hands. She then turned towards behind her, noticing a familiar face lumbering towards them. "Hey, it's Cinnamon."

"Great." Sonic Jr. said sarcastically.

"Hmm." The wolf grunted. He then turned to Violet. "Violet, you should go to Shadow. He requires your aid."

Violet did not ask for what, she simply teleported next to the hedgehog, who turned emotionlessly.

"Good. I don't have to find you." Shadow glanced at her, and then eyed her hands suspiciously, which weren't hanging in a normal resting position.

"I'm fine." Violet reassured him. She looked at the solid wall… a force field, she reckoned. "Is this all you needed me for? To teleport inside?"

"More than that." Shadow added. "You'll need to open the door, and be wary of what is inside."

Violet nodded, and then when Shadow stayed quiet, she focused her energy and teleported inside. It was cold inside the doorway, and she shivered as she turned back, as Shadow looked at her, waiting for her to move on. She began to run.

She had just gotten out of eyesight when she felt her feet become numb. "The paralysis is getting worse!" Violet cried out. She looked up as the torch litted up the prison hallway. The ground was spattered with broken chairs and table. She must be in the cafeteria.

"Who's there?" A voice shouted out from the darkness. "The field's lock, did it break down?"

Violet was about to move as she nearly fallen, grasping a table to keep her standing up. Her stomach began to feel queasy. "I don't have much longer…" Violet thought to herself. "Maybe she might think I'm another prisoner."

"I don't know. Try hitting the button to close it."

There was silence for a moment, as Violet noted movement from a high tower above her. "I hit it." The voice confirmed. "Funny, wouldn't you have called me rather than… wait, you're not a prisoner!"

Violet focused her energy to teleport in front of the target as she heard something flying through the dark. The knife went through air soaring into the ground, as Violet looked into the eyes of the attacker.

She knew who it was with a mere glance. "Balthazar…" Violet whispered. She remembered seeing her seven years ago, fierce

The lioness looked at her fearfully. "How did you get up here?" She demanded. "Well, you're going down now!"

Violet knew dodging was useless; she could barely control her own movement. She teleported behind her, as Balthazar turned surprised. "Just give up." Violet told her. "I can move like this all day, through the door and out."

Balthazar roared and tried to slash her with another blade. But she disappeared. Violet heard footsteps, and knew Shadow was coming.

"I don't want to fight you." Violet said.

"Then leave." Balthazar coldly suggested.

"Why are you attacking the kingdom?" Violet asked softly.

"Violet?" Someone asked. "Where are you?"

That was Sonic Jr.

"Use your eyes, hedgehog. There could be an ambush."

That was the wolf

"None of your business." Balthazar whispered, so as to not alert the others.

Violet tried to move her arms, but they were gone now. She felt weaker now, sapped by the hellebore's poison.

"I don't have time for games!" She glared at her, barely audible. Balthazar tried to strike at her again, but found that she was too far away, and above the ground.

"What did you do!" Balthazar cried. Violet was shocked, but didn't stop focusing; She had managed to lift Balthazar off her feet with her mind.

"This way!" Sonic Jr…

"Tell me why you attacked the kingdom!" Violet demanded. "Or I'll throw you off." She knew that wouldn't happen, she knew she could barely lift her as it was, with her strength diminishing, she could be back on the ground in seconds.

"I was hired, alright, in exchange for freedom." Balthazar admitted. "Look, just let me get out of her free."

"Who hired you?"

"I don't know, I didn't see his face!" Balthazar confessed. "Come on, let me get out of here before they…"

Violet noticed Shadow moving in for a killing blow just in time. She grabbed Balthazar's hand, and moved her behind him. The hedgehog looked surprised at his miss, and then turned around to glance at Violet. "What did you do that for?!" He demanded.

"She's a prisoner, she's not going anywhere."

"You…" Balthazar looked at Shadow with fear. "You tricked me…"

"Shadow?" Violet looked at him. She looked at Balthazar as Shadow looked at her with killer intent. "You set this all up?"

"Dang, where did Shadow go?" Sonic Jr. asked from somewhere

"You're not very bright are you?"The wolf responded from somewhere close to him.

"I had to get my revenge…" Shadow snarled. "Tails denied me my revenge! That monster you defend? She killed Rouge!"

Violet turned to look at her, as Balthazar looked at him confused. "I don't know who Rouge is…"

"QUIET!" Shadow shouted at her. "You will not speak. I saw her body, dead because you started the war."

"Rouge… the bat?" Violet asked, suddenly recalling the beautiful white bat. "I thought she was Knuckle's wife?"

"She was…" Shadow admitted. He looked away at the moment, into the darkness. "But I loved her. Now… she's just another Maria…"

"I never killed a bat." Balthazar defended herself. "I swear. Just let me live! I'll take this hole over death."

"No… you shall be executed as you should have been long ago!" He glared at Violet. "Get out of the way!"

Violet hesitated. "You can't kill her like this."

"I can. Get out of my way or I'll kill you too."

"Violet!" Sonic Jr. was below them. "What are you and Shadow doing?

"No!" Violet argued. "She deserves another chance."

"Redemption?" Shadow laughed. "She blew her chance. Now, STAND ASIDE."

"NO!" Violet stubbornly resisted, forcing her hand to grab Balthazar's arm, although it was difficult and painful. She could barely see now… She quickly concentrated… thinking hard…

She opened her eyes. "Where am I?" She looked at the sand. "Is this the beach?"

Violet listened to the gentle waters. She could actually do it. She teleported back to the beach. She was more powerful than she thought. She smiled inwardly, and then turned to look at Balthazar.

"Never ever again act with malicious intent, or I will serve you justice." Violet warned her, lifting her up in the air with her mind.

"I… I won't." Balthazar replied. There was no fear on her face, and to Violet's surprise, it was sincere.

She let go of her focus, although not intentionally… she was exhausted, and needed to teleport back. She wanted to give her a long lecture, but had to go.

She thought she heard Balthazar mutter a thank you as she appeared behind Shadow, who whirled around angrily.

"What have you done?" Shadow inquired.

"I gave her release." Violet informed him.

"WHAT!" Shadow cried.

"You tricked her and used her for her own ends. I wouldn't let you execute her, but I don't have any prisons memorized either. So I freed her."

"You unleashed a great evil!" Shadow glared at her.

"No… I stopped you from committing a great evil!" Violet retorted. "Balthazar probably wouldn't have harmed anyone once she was freed."

"How do you know that?" Shadow snapped. "You're just a foolish teenager with a bleeding heart!"

"I believe what I did was right." She replied confidently. Her vision blurred, as the hellebore's poison seemed to be taking away her consciousness, as she slipped into the darkness…

**A/N: Pitney and Kauri will get their punishment one day… Cliffhanger again. Next chapter: The 25****th**** of February, if I get 40 reviews, I'll post it on Wednesday, which is my birthday!**


	21. The Fall

**The Fall**

Shadow shook his head angrily as he watched Violet fall. "No… I'M NOT LETTING YOU GET AWAY WITH THIS!" He didn't care that she was already unconscious, she was going to die.

He raised an arm to pummel her, but was suddenly thrown as an arm spun him against the railing, knocking him onto the ground. When he stood up, he saw Miles Prower, glancing at him in anger.

"Shadow…" The fox began. "What have you done?"

"You saw her die!" Shadow retorted. "You saw rouge die… and yet your daughter stops me from taking revenge!"

"So you're going to kill her?"

Shadow glared at him. "Your line denies me my revenge once more." Shadow said, glaring at him. "She won't change; you and your daughter are foolish for thinking that way."

"Everyone is worthy of redemption." Tails replied.

"Are you so sure? If I meet you again, Tails, do you think I'll give you second chance?" With that, he disappeared. Tails grabbed her daughter, and looked at her carefully, feeling her pulse. "It's normal… and her vitals seem perfectly fine. I'm surprised she's survived this long against it."

Tails began to spin his tails, soaring out of the room.

***

"Oh, Tails, she's waking up!" A voice shouted eagerly.

Violet registered the sound first, the quiet humming of the electricity of the room. She then felt the cold air of the sky making her feel chilly. "She needs a jacket." Another voice said.

She then opened her eyes, and noticed her mother peering down at her. "Mother?" She asked, surprised and ecstatic. "Mother!"

Her arms reached out and wrapped themselves around her mother, who spilled a few tears as she embraced her daughter. She smiled up at her after what seemed too early to break away, looking towards the door. "Where's father?"

"Over here, Violet." A voice chuckled. Violet whispered her head towards the other side of the bed, noticing a fox standing over her. She would have leaped at him if she wasn't so tired, but her arms slinked around him. "Your as purple as ever, father!"

"And you're still only able to see in shades of violet." Tails said solemnly. "I suppose it's fitting however."

Violet beamed at her parents. "Are you guys okay?"

"Oh, we're definitely fine." Tails laughed. "You've grown up to be just like your mother."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Cosmo questioned him, both girls eyeing him.

"It's a compliment, don't worry." Tails scratched the back of his head. _'Although Violet sure is the better cook'_ Violet heard him add in his thoughts.

"Violet then felt a pang of distress as she thought about her friends. "What happened to everyone else?" She inquired.

The couple glanced at each other. "Sonic Jr. and Cinnamon are fine, although Cinnamon's mad that she missed all the action trying to find Sonic Jr."

"Did someone say my name?" Sonic Sr., Jr., Knuckles, Amy and Cinnamon appeared into the doorway, looking upon Violet with smiles, as Amy and Cinnamon ran to hug her friend, and Amy calpped in joy. "You're alright!" The Pink hedgehog rejoiced.

" Man, I missed everything! I shouldn't have listened to that stupid wolf!" Cinnamon grumbled.

"You're one heck of a fighter." Knuckles complimented her.

"Sarah is with the weapon smith, teaching him a few nifty tricks about explosives." Tails added. "I wouldn't mind teaching her a thing or two, she's got talent in demolitions. You make good choices of companion's Violet."

"I didn't even know she could do that." Violet said in surprised.

"I knew she was weird." Sonic Jr. commented.

She then felt a chill on her back. She had left Sarah with Richard. She turned to mouth the question to Tails, and he laughed, already seeing her question on her lips.

"He's fine. He was here an hour ago, but I told him to get some sleep."

"Oh? How long have I been unconscious?"

Cosmo answered this one. "A little over twenty seven hours." She told her. "I'm surprised Richard even lasted that long. You were lucky you inherited some resistance to the Hellebore poisoning. I could tell you used it to heal his wounds when Sarah brought him to us. His leg needs to rest a bit still, but it worked quite well." Violet smiled, but then Cosmo gave her a chastising look. "But you need to be careful. You didn't apply the hellebore correctly. If you aspire a career in biology, you must always be careful with your substances."

"Yes, mother." Violet complied. She then turned to Tails. "Where are Shadow and the wolf? Shadow must be pretty mad that I let Balthazar be free."

"I am surprised you did as well." Tails told her. "Shadow is indeed enraged. I don't think he's going to pay us a friendly visit any time soon. Not that he ever has…"

Violet nodded. She then turned to Sonic Sr. "Did… Did I do the right think in letting her go?"

Sonic gave his famous smile. "I always let Eggman escape, always gave him another chance to be free. Ironically, Balthazar killed him, but he never changed befire." Violet's ears fell at that news. "But Balthazar… she did great evils. Yet I believe that you did the right thing. She gets a second chance, a real, good second chance. She starts with nothing, and has to work to regain honor… or go her old ways again. Frankly…"

But Violet didn't hear the rest. She noticed two more figures pop through the door. Sarah was first, followed by a tired Richard, who looked at her with great relief. Tails looked at him with a bit of jealousy, but Cosmo dragged him out, and Sonic Sr. bowed to Violet and left the room as well with Knuckles and Amy.

Richard lent her his hand as the two smiled at eachother, and Violet looked at all her friends. "Thanks for being with me guys."

"Sure beats going to school." Cinnamon said.

"Oh no!" Sarah groaned. "Now I have to make up all the work we've missed over the week."

"Man… I hate staying after school to make up work!" Sonic Jr. cried.

"You stay after school even if you did do it because you're too stupid to get it right." Cinnamon insulted him.

"At least I have friends."

"I have Violet!"

"You can't count friends you have in common."

"Well, who do you have?" Cinnamon challenged him.

"Oh, Let's see…" Sonic satisfyingly began counting using his fingers. "Laura, Rosaria, Samantha, Gloria, Bertha, Amanda, K…"

Perhaps it was because they were all girls name, but Sonic never finished as Cinnmaon tackled him to the ground, pounding him with fists.

"Here we go again." Sarah cried, trying to separate them. "They're never going to kiss anyone but the other. Why can't they just stay together!"

Richard and Violet shared a humorous glance as Sonic Jr. ran out of the room, with Cinnamon tackling him outside the door, Sarah still trying to break them apart. Richard then sighed as the room became quiet.

"I have a lot of things to tell you…" Richard began, but Violet put a finger to his lips.

"You don't have to do it all at once." Violet hushed him. "These are personal topics. It takes time to build a relationship and trust. We just weren't there yet."

"I think we're there now." Richard told her. "I was worried about losing you, and when I saw you with the wolf long ago, I went ballistic. I thought it was because I never told you about being a street urchin, or my parents, or my sister…"

"You told me about your sister." Violet reminded him.

"Not everything." Richard hesitated. "I thought she was dead, at least when I first told you about her. "But she's alive, Violet."

"That's good news!" Violet squeezed his hand. "Where is she?"

"I think I know where." Richard told her. "But where is the bad news…"

(Hellebore)

_"And so it begins. A soul denied revenge turns to darkness…"_

_ The cursed wise vixen saw. What she saw made her cry. But she saw…_

"Master…?" The wolf began uncertainly. They were in a deep chasm, and Shadow was using a lot of Chaos Control to protect him. The rocks were packed with cold ice, and the wolf was shivering. Shadow stared intently at the two orbs, one encasing a black fox, the other encasing a golden nine-tailed fox. The black fox was locked in a defensive position, the nine-tailed fox locked in the middle of a lunging blow, which Shadow was sure would have killed him if the spell was a just a bit later."

"If I cannot have my revenge… then I shall have my revenge on those who deny it!" Shadow told him, not taking his eyes off him.

"Master… you unless a great evil by doing this. It's powers are legendary. It could manipulate you."

"I intend to manipulate it." Shadow retorted. "Unfortunately, I can't awaken it unless I awaken the other. This leaves us little time." He turned to the wolf. "Hold on to the orb. I'll have to chaos control fast if I'm going to get him out of here without the other.

Shadow then began to unleash all his Chaos energy as the wolf crawled on top of the Orb, the energy leaving his body so Shadow could unleash enough power to destroy the orbs.

"CHAOSSS…." Shadow began.

"_He unleashes two terrible forces, rivals, forever hunting the other until one dies…"_

"CONTROLLL!" Shadow launched his massive power, the energy slamming into the orbs, cracking them as the nine-tailed fox continued his lung.

"Die, Oramo!" The nine-tailed fox shouted. But his sword met air. He looked around, and began to fall, his nine tails spinning to keep him elevated. He looked around, ready for a surprise attack, but none came. Finally, he realized something was wrong. The land did not look like this earlier. Something happened…

"He froze me…" He realized, and himself. "So how did he get free?"

"_So the evil unleashed with the good, my pain ends, but the world's pain is about to get far worse."_

Sakuri Prower, the nine-tailed fox, suddenly realized that his lover, Kari, was alive as he sensed her from afar. Noting to track down Oramo later, he began flying in that direction in a rush.

(Hellebore)

The dark fox Oramo looked at his rescuer. "You make a strange choice, hedgehog, in freeing me. Do you know who I am?"

"I unleashed you to help me. I seeked revenge against Balthazar, but it was stopped by a foolish girl and her father. I want to kill the father's daughter and make him suffer."

LOramo chuckled. "Is that it? For simple revenge you unleash Lord Oramo, the greatest evil this world has ever known?" His eyes tightened into dark red slits, but Shadow was not afraid of him, although the wolf instinctively took a step back. "You should work for me. Now, where am I?"'

Shadow did not reply. They were near the prison of Balthazar herself.

"You help me get revenge on Balthazar, and I will serve you." Shadow swore. The wolf looked at him confused. Why would Shadow serve as someone as dark as this. What was happening to him?

"You are a fool hedgehog… but I have nothing to lose. Plus this amuses me. Yet I sense a presence nearby…"

Oramo threw a knife behind him, and a scream was heard. The wolf and Shadow ran ahead, and noticed the pig Pitney and the panther Kauri falling down to the ground, fearfully.

"Here's a good start for your plan." Lord Oramo chuckled. "Fearful, loyal henchman."

Shadow eyed them carefully, and Pitney and Kauri quickly bowed respectfully. "We'll do anything, oh master!" Pitney desperately cried. "Oh, why do we always have to run into something so powerful."

"Look, don't hurt us!" Kauri pleaded.

Shadow looked towards Oramo. "Now, give me details of the rest of your plan, and I will help you with your revenge… for as long as you serve me faithfully."

"Done." Shadow said without hesitation. The wolf looked uneasily at both of them. This was not the Shadow he had opted to travel with years ago. And Lord Oramo… the wolf carefully looked at the blood red scar on his eye, and the toothy grin. He was not a being one should ally.

"You are a fire indeed, Shadow. But I will reward you well for your loyalty… and your revenge will be granted."

**A/N: That's the end for Part II. There's a sneak peak after this author's note, but no epilogue to this story. (Not word for word, to keep the mystery going.) Warning: It is quite dark, and it comes from the prologue of the third story, slightly modified to reveal less information.**

** The third story will try to focus more on Tails and Violet rather than the O.C.'s specifically. **

** Thanks for all the loyal readers, and here's the sneak peak!**

**A Tale of Tails and Plants III: Lockdown**

_Her blood was spilled all over the ground, drenched in Tails hand as he gently stroked her pale face, her galactic eyes forever staring at the ceiling. Her three tails stood on the ground limply, her hand barely picking itself up as she looked at her father, having suffered so much her body had long shut itself off to pain. Her legs were cut into, her clothes torn all over the place, a gash deep into her breast. Her mind had shut itself off to the pain, it knew it would die. There was no point screaming now._

_ Tails looked up at the people that had done this to his daughter. The pig Pitney stood in front of them, a satisfied grin on his face. Tails tightened his fists. He would rip the disgusting pig apart for what he did to her. And next to him, Kaurie, the angel that was the devil. Then the rest of her cohorts… and him. Him! The wolf without a name! He was with them?_

_ Tails then glared at Shadow, who looked at him coldly. "You let her live, so I got your daughter instead. You denied me my revenge, stole my purpose! You should be thankful I saved you for last."_

_ "You did more than that, hedgehog." Tails growled. "You… you defiled her! Stripped her and pleasured yourselves! "_

_ "She was already defiled by her principles." Shadow admitted. "I only allowed the others to pleasure themselves with her because I promised them. But no matter. They have no interest in you, besides your death."_

_ Tails blood boiled in rage. "What are you going to do?" Shadow said, raising his hand slowly. "Kill me? It is a pity I don't feel like letting you live to watch what I'll do to your wife."_

_ Shadow slowly began to draw energy in his hand as he watched Tails grabbed his laser and tried to press the trigger. "I'll kill you!" Tails cried. His hand gripped the trigger fiercely as it pulled down hard on it._

_ "Goodbye." The hedgehog cried, as Tails saw his one shot miss, and then the hedgehog's chaos attack fire straight toward his direction…_

**Look for A Tale of Tails and Plants III: Lockdown, coming out soon!**

Other Story Updates:

**Expect an update for the Tails Epic: Volume 1 in the next day or two. It will be updated twice a week till it reaches chapter 10. At that point, it will be placed on a backburner, and ATofTP III will come up front.**

**The Last Hope will be updated next Tuesday and every Tuesday afterwards until completed.**

**Epic Destinies (Baldur's Gate) will be updated once every two weeks. Completely forgotten, I will finish it. I hate leaving stories unfinished, so it will be commenced as well.**

** Future Stories:**

**Passion of the Red Poppy (Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic and Amy): March 2010, updated every Tuesday and/or Thursday**

**Insurrection (Same): ** **May 2010 (Tails and Cosmo)**

**Thank you reviewers!**


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